Helping Out Our Readers

March 31, 2016, 3:23 am

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Hi Kent,  
I just heard of the passing of Patty Duke. A great actress who won an Oscar and had a successful TV program.  

But didn't she have a Top 40 Hit with her song " Please Just Don't Stand There'??? 

When in doubt, ask the master!  

Carolyn

I was sad to hear about Patty's passing, too.  What a weird and wild life she had.  Over the course of her career she was able to play BOTH leads in "The Miracle Worker", The Helen Keller Story.

Patty had TWO back-to-back Top 40 Hits in 1965 ... "Don't Just Stand There" (which I've always referred to as a "You Don't Own Me" clone ... although it's still a GREAT record on its own merits) went to #5 and "Say Something Funny" (whose flipside, "Funny Little Butterflies" also charted) went to #22, both in 1965.  (kk) 

And of course we all watched her on her hit television series "The Patty Duke Show", where she played twin cousins (one from Britain and one from Brooklyn Heights) ... who can forget the infectious theme song ... "but they're cousins ... identical cousins through and through"!  (kk)

Oscar-winning actress Patty Duke, who starred in her own, self-named television show, died in Los Angeles Tuesday (March 29) of sepsis from a ruptured intestine. She was 69. Born Anna Marie Duke in Queens, New York, her mother turned her over to live with talent managers who changed her name to Patty. She appeared on TV and in print ads and in 1959 even won $32,000 on the "$64,000 Challenge" TV show. Her big break was appearing as Helen Keller on Broadway in "The Miracle Worker" from 1959 to 1961. She then went on to star in the film version of the story and won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 1962. In 1963 she starred in the "Patty Duke Show" as both wild Patty Lane and her prim and proper identical cousin, Cathy. The show ran for three years and during that time she recorded two hit records - "Don't Just Stand There" (#8 -1965) and "Say Something Funny" (#22 -1965). She attempted to change her image with a major role in the film, "Valley Of The Dolls" in 1969 and won a Golden Globe as Best Actress for her portrayal of Neely O'Hara. She was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1985 to 1988. Her autobiography, chronicling her battle with bi-polar disorder, "Call Me Anna," was published in 1988. Married four times - including actor John Astin -- she was the mother of actor Sean Astin (who, it was revealed later, was not John's biological son).

-- Ron Smith / oldiesmusic.com

Hello, 
My name is Todd.  Born in '65.  Growing up I had older brother and sisters.  We had shoe boxes of old 45s.  Nothing but popular music of the late 50's and early 60's stuff. (think Love Potion No. 9 type stuff) 
On one of these 45s (B-side) was a preformed sketch like from an old radio show.  It started out with foot steps walking down an alley or side walk.  Then maybe another set of foot steps chasing the original set.  Then maybe some running.  Then three gunshots.  Body falling to the ground.  And then an old timey police siren.   It gets hazy (my memory) after that.  The police may have done some talking but I don't remember.  
Does any of this sound familiar?   The first time I heard it I was probably five years old and it scared the crap out of me.  I've asked my brothers and sisters and a couple of them vaguely remember it too.
Do you have any insight as to who recorded this?
Thank you very much in advance!!
Todd Smith
I'm going to take a wild guess on this one, Todd, and go with "Suspense" by Dickie Goodman, which was the B-Side of his 1966 hit "Batman And His Grandmother."  You describe it perfectly (and I used to play this one a lot, too, when I was a kid growing up.)  Let me know if I nailed it.  (kk)
 
 

Hi,  
I am hoping you can help me.  I remember listening to a song repeatedly when I was in jr. high school that is on the b side of a 45 (7” record).  
I seem to remember the label was green and the male vocalist had a deeper voice close to Bertie Higgins or Michael Johnson.

I think the title of the track is “You Are” and the lyrics that stand out is “you are the sun, after the rain…”

I have googled it repeatedly, I have tried I-tunes – nothing.

Can you help me find the actual vocalist and If I am wrong about the song’s name – the name of the song?

Thank you so much,

Jackie

Wow, back-to-back B-Side questions today!!!
Well, I'm going to assume for starters that you don't mean the Lionel Richie song of the same name with very similar lyrics.  Checking Joel Whitburn's Pop Singles book I don't see anything obvious that would point to this. (I even checked the B-Sides of Michael Johnson's and Bertie Higgins' charted hits to see if that title popped up there ... without success.)

So I'm going to have to throw this one out to the readers to see if they can come up with any good suggestions ... stay tuned!  (kk) 

Hi kk, 

Yes, unfortunately, you assume correctly ... it is not the Lionel Richie song.  

Anything you can do would be greatly appreciated.  

Thanks!

Hi Kent -

I am trying to write a piece about '60s radio, what it meant to me growing up, and how it has influenced my entire life. Being a Chicagoan, I am going to reference some of the radio stations I listened to and loved, WLS and WCFL. Someone in my '60s Facebook group suggested I contact you with my technical questions, if I had any, because you are such a wellspring of information on this topic. 
One that has surfaced is about WCFL's scheduling of DJs. I am trying to find out who were the morning DJs during the weekdays (early AM) and the weekends (late AM). Do you know this information? 
Thanks very much, Kent. 
Joanie Baker
P.S. I think your wife is in my FB group. 
She is ... but that's OK, I'll help you anyway (lol)

Actually I have to give thanks to Jack Levin for redirecting me to this link ... I've had it saved on my computer for years but when I went to access it in order to answer your question the other day, the link was dead.

Here is the COMPLETE schedule (from start to finish) of WCFL Radio ... The Top 40 Years:

(I know there are a couple of modifications that need to be made to this ... for example, Larry Lujack's first gig here on Chicago Radio was overnights on WCFL ... and the schedule NEVER stayed the same for the whole year the way jocks moved around this city ... so hopefully, with a little bit of input from other Chicagoans who grew up listening to Super "CFL we can make a few adjustments where necessary and put together a pretty definitive schedule.  I think checking some of the weekly WCFL surveys would help, too, as they often showed a photo of the jock and listed their air shift.)  kk

Rock Radio Scrapbook

WCFL lineups

WCFL (1965)

(Courtesy: Bill Dulmage)

6 - 9 a.m. - JIM RUNYON

9 a.m. - 12 noon - JOEL SEBASTIAN

12 noon - 3 p.m. - DICK WILLIAMSON

3 - 6 p.m.- JIM STAGG

6 - 9 p.m. - RON BRITAIN

9 p.m. - 12 midnight - BARNEY PIP

12 midnight - 6 a.m. - SID McCOY

WCFL (1966)

(Courtesy: Bill Dulmage)

6 - 9 a.m. - JIM RUNYON

9 a.m. - 12 noon - JOEL SEBASTIAN

12 noon - 3 p.m. - DICK WILLIAMSON

3 - 6 p.m. - JIM STAGG

6 - 9 p.m. - RON BRITAIN

9 p.m. - 12 midnight - BARNEY PIP

WCFL (February 16, 1967)

(Source: WCFL Charts)

5 - 9 a.m. - JERRY G. BISHOP

9 a.m. - 12 noon - JOEL SEBASTIAN

12:10 - 3 p.m. - DICK WILLIAMSON

3 - 6 p.m. - JIM STAGG

6:15 - 9 p.m. - RON BRITAIN

9 p.m. - 12 midnight - BARNEY PIP

WCFL (1968 into 1969)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

5 - 9 a.m. - JERRY G. BISHOP

9 a.m. - 12 noon - JOEL SEBASTIAN

12:10 - 3 p.m. - DICK WILLIAMSON

3 - 6 p.m. - JIM STAGG

6:15 - 9 p.m. - RON BRITAIN

9 p.m. - 12 midnight - BARNEY PIP

Midnight - 5 a.m. - DICK BIONDI

WCFL (July, 1970)

(Courtesy: Bob Dearborn)

6 - 10 a.m. - CLARK WEBER

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - ROBERT E. LEE

1 - 4 p.m. - DICK BIONDI

4 - 7 p.m. - SCOTTY BRINK

7 - 10 p.m. - LARRY O'BRIEN

10 p.m. - 1 a.m. - RON BRITAIN

1 - 4 a.m. - BOB DEARBORN

4 - 5 a.m. - LILLIAN THOMAS (public affairs)

5 - 6 a.m. - BOB DEARBORN

WCFL (February, 1971)

(Courtesy: Bob Dearborn)

6 - 10 a.m. - CLARK WEBER

10 a.m. - 1 p.m. - ROBERT E. LEE

1 -  4 p.m. - JERRY KAYE

4 - 7 p.m. - DICK BIONDI

7 - 10 p.m. - LARRY O'BRIEN

10 p.m. - 1 a.m. - BOB DEARBORN

1 - 4 a.m. - STEVE YORK

4 - 5 a.m. - LILLIAN THOMAS (public affairs)

5 - 6 a.m. - STEVE YORK

In June 1971, Clark Weber was replaced by Art Roberts

WCFL (January to June 1972)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6-10 a.m. - ART ROBERTS

10 a.m.-1 p.m. - ROBERT E. LEE

1-4 p.m. - JERRY KAY

4-7 p.m. - DICK BIONDI

7-10 p.m. - LARRY O'BRIEN

10 p.m.-1 a.m. - BOB DEARBORN

1-6 a.m. - STEVE YORK

WCFL (June to September 1972)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6 - 10 a.m. - ART ROBERTS

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - BOB DEARBORN

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - RON O'BRIEN

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - LARRY O'BRIEN

2 - 6 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

WCFL (October 1972)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6 - 10 a.m. - BOB DEARBORN and LARRY O'BRIEN

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - ART ROBERTS

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - RON O'BRIEN

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - KRIS ERIK STEVENS

2 - 6 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

In November and December of 1972 the only change was deleting Larry O'Brien in the morning

From January to March 1973 the only change was Bob Dearborn and Tom Murphy in the morning

WCFL (March to May 1973)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6 - 10 a.m. - TOM MURPHY

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - BOB DEARBORN

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - RON O'BRIEN

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - CHUCK KNAPP

2 - 6 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

From May to December 1973 the only change was Chuck Knapp to Dick Sainte from 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.

WCFL (January to September 1974)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6 - 10 a.m. - TOM MURPHY

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - BOB DEARBORN

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - DR. BROCK

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - DICK SAINTE

2 - 6 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

Weekends: BILL TAYLOR

WCFL (September to December 1974)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6 - 10 a.m. - DICK 'N DOUG

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - BOB DEARBORN

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - JOHNNY DRISCOLL

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - BILL TAYLOR

2 - 6 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

Weekends: DON GIRALDEAUX

WCFL (July 7, 1975)

(Courtesy: Brian Douglas)

6 - 10 a.m. - TOM MURPHY

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - BOB DEARBORN

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - RON O'BRIEN

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - JOHN DRISCOLL

2 - 6 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

Weekends: TIM KELLY

WCFL (January to March 1976)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6 - 10 a.m. - DICK 'N DOUG

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - BOB DEARBORN

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - JOHNNY DRISCOLL

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - TIM KELLY

2 - 6 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

Weekends: JIM BERNARD HEBEL

WCFL (Final Top 40 lineup - March, 1976)

(Courtesy: John Celarek)

6 - 10 a.m. - JOHNNY DRISCOLL

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - BOB DEARBORN

2 - 6 p.m. - LARRY LUJACK

6 - 10 p.m. - TIM KELLY

10 p.m. - 2 a.m. - DICK SHANNON

2 - 6 a.m. - JIM BERNARD HEBEL

Weekends - MICHAEL SCOTT

NOTES: First word of the impending switch came in the newspapers on February 11, 1976. Format changed to beautiful music at 7 p.m. March 15, 1976; the switchover was preceded by two hours of "ocean waves." Larry Lujack was the only deejay to stay on; Bob Dearborn was asked but declined.

This site is also a GREAT source of information for many of the major Top 40 Radio Stations we grew up with way back when ... click the link below and see if you can find some of YOUR favorites!!!  (kk)

http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/index.html  
And be sure to check out the special page put together by our FH Buddy Doug Thompson!
http://rockradioscrapbook.ca/dougt.html 

Where else would a guy go to for an answer than to the experts.  
I noticed in watching The Wrecking Crew documentary that Tommy Tedesco and other Wrecking Crew folks played on The Ventures'"Hawaii 5-O".  
Didn''t The Ventures play on their own albums? I thought they did since they were darn good players on their own. Thanks for any clarification on this. 
Maybe Denny will pop in on this one. 
As usual, Kent, FH is still my favorite thing to read each day.  
Bill - live from MN

Believe me, I was every bit as shocked as you to hear that The Wrecking Crew were waxing The Ventures' albums!  (Keep in mind these were they guys who were pushing the concept of "Play Along With The Ventures" and "Play Just Like The Ventures" ... and they all were top-notch musicians ... but they could make a lot more money out on the road than they could in the studio so this is where The Wrecking Crews stepped in. 
In the excellent book "Sound Explosion", Tommy Tedesco tells Ken Sharp:  "Joe Saraceno, producer of the Ventures, called me at home one day and told me they were in the midst of recording 'Hawaii Five-O'.  They were having a hard time with the lead guitarist.  He was unable to read the melody line of the written music.  When I showed up, Joe asked me if I would have any problems.  I told him to watch and went out into the recording studio, put the guitar behind my head, read and played the music and everyone in the room laughed.  They were all satisfied.  All of the recordings on 'Play And Learn With The Ventures' were played by me, not the Ventures.  They were too busy out on the road making money and left us studio players the job of doing the recordings." 
Strange but true!  (Crazier still ... The Ventures earned the royalties on the record sales ... while the studio musicians only collected their union fees for the single session!)  kk

I've been a Forgotten Hits Reader for many years now and I've been trying to find a video you ran some time back.  I can't remember the name of the artist but it was sort of an updated disco version of an old instrumental hit from the late '50's or early '60's.  I just remember it being kind of a campy video built around some sort of Indian theme or something.  I believe you ran it several times.  I used to have it saved to my old computer but that's long gone now and I'd really like to see it again.  I'm hoping you know which clip I'm talking about.  Thanks!
Janice
Well, I've got a hunch you're thinking about "Apache" by Tommy Seebach ... and "campy" doesn't even begin to describe it ... it's flat out hysterical.
But what makes it so funny is that I am 100% certain that these guys genuinely thought that they were giving the performance of their lives when they made this video ... this wasn't done as a spoof or a lark ... they were dead serious!!!
(Actually it's really not a bad rendition of the old Jorge Ingmann hit ... and,as you said, it has sort of a contemporary (for then anyway) disco feel to it.
I think we've run it three times previously on Forgotten Hits so I have no problem at all with running it again.  (Geez, you think THAT'S a lot in 17 years???  There are times when I've heard "Brown Eyed Girl" three times in the same day!  But then again there are probably a few people on the list who think we've run the "Whipped Cream" album cover a time or two more than we should have, too.)
Check this out ... it'll keep you smiling all day long!  (kk) 
 

Oops ... I almost forgot!

---

Sweet 16: A Special "April Fool's" Edition

April 1, 2016, 3:32 am

≫ Next: Hit After Hit After Hit

≪ Previous: Helping Out Our Readers

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It used to be that April Fool's Day provided the perfect excuse for radio station to dig out the novelty hits that they didn't typically play anymore as part of their daily rotation.  It was a "fun" way to celebrate the holiday.

But for the past few years, outlets like Forgotten Hits and The True Oldies Channel have preferred instead to feature songs with the word "fool" in the title.

A few years ago we came up with about 50 titles to choose from ... so, in the spirit of our very special 2016 / SWEET 16 celebration, today we're going to feature 16 of our "fool" favorites.  (And, since we ARE Forgotten Hits, you'll probably a few surprises on the list this morning!)

Enjoy!

Hit After Hit After Hit

April 2, 2016, 4:10 am

≫ Next: The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 03 - 16 )

≪ Previous: Sweet 16: A Special "April Fool's" Edition

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Joel Whitburn just keeps the hits coming!!!  What an incredible year it's been so far!

AVAILABLE NOW:  America's Greatest Hits, 1940 - 2015 - The Complete Top Ten Pop Charts

COMING SOON:  The companion Top 10 Albums Book, arriving in May  (order your copy online now and save ten bucks!)

 
And now comes word about an updated edition of the grand-daddy of them all ... 

The book that launched Record Research and remains its most consistent best seller ...

An updated edition of Top Pop Singles, now spanning 60 YEARS of chart history ...

With all kinds of cool upgrades and new information. (This book just keeps getting better and better!)

Available now for preorder at a $15 discount.  (Books will start shipping in June)

All books available thru Joel's website:
http://recordresearch.com/

ALL-NEW Top Pop Singles 1955-2015 $15 Off with promo code: BESTYET

Kent,  You're the first to know about Joel's new Top Pop Singles 1955-2015! Get $15 off through April 15, 2016, with promo code: BESTYET Top Pop Singles 1955-2015 will arrive in June of 2016, and will be $79.95.  Order today with the BESTYET promo code and get it for only $64.95! In the 46 years of publishing our flagship book, the upcoming 15th edition of Top Pop Singles is the best one yet! All of the inexhaustible data our readers expect -- presented with painstaking accuracy in a concise format debuting a host of new features! Thousands of recent entries … Updated, expanded information on previous songs and artists … clean and refreshed format … a ton of data added with our new features! It's the 60-year history of everyone and everything that ever appeared on Billboard magazine's "Hot 100" and early pop singles charts from the dawn of the rock era. Check out these major, NEW FEATURES below: ► Each US chart hit that hit #1 on the United Kingdom (British) charts is now indicated with an easy-to-find symbol, also showing total weeks at #1. This is the first Record Research publication to show this non-US chart information. ► For every #1 hit from other major trade magazines (Cash Box, Music Vendor & Record Word) that DID NOT hit #1 in Billboard, weve added an easy-to-find symbol, with the total weeks at #1 shown. At a glance, see newly-researched #1 hits for such artists as The Beatles (4 additional #1s), Creedence Clearwater Revival (3 #1s), The Everly Brothers, The Kingsmen, Elvis and many more. actual page size: 8.5" x 11" ► Expanded HRH Listings from 200 to 300 titles - song that are the most-honored by critics and music industry professionals such as the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and other significant rankings. ► Revised "24 Hit Club" now includes 266 members with photos. ► Updated bios - vital information for every new artist, plus group members, birthdates/places, rapper's real names, and death dates updated through Spring 2016. ► List of approx. 200 ultra-rare EPs - never charted, early rock 'n' roll - among them The Harp Tones, The Mello-Kings, Eddie Cochran, LaVern Baker, Chuck Berry, The Crests, Danny & The Juniors, and more!   Order today!

The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 03 - 16 )

April 3, 2016, 8:19 am

≫ Next: Another Great Forgotten Hits Give-Away!!!

≪ Previous: Hit After Hit After Hit

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re:  SWEET 16 / THE MONKEES:  
Excellent column today!!!  
David Salidor   

Thanks for the Sweet Monkees 16.  There were so many good songs that The Monkees cranked out over their TV seasons.  Papa Gene's Blues and Saturday's Child were two other hits that probably just missed your sweet 16 list, right???  Anyways, one interesting factoid about The Monkees I came across was during the airing of a Monkees episode over the weekend on AntennaTV:  There was an episode (Season 1, Episode 15, aired Dec, 1966) about a TV Talent show, where Davy was to help make a certain girl a star.  As always, the other three had wacky "acts" that performed on the show as well. In a haphazard melody, Mike Nesmith comes up with his guitar an rambles off some lyrics that were actually the lyrics to his future hit, "Different Drum", which would climb the charts the following year by Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys.  Uncle T. JayThe Vinyl ArkhivesKAFM Radio  
Yep!  Papa Nez actually featured little bits and pieces of "Different Drum" TWICE on The Monkees' television series ... but you've got to be paying pretty close attention to pick them up.  (At the time they meant virtually NOTHING to us ... but it IS pretty cool in hindsight!)  
SO many great album tracks to pick from ... I probably could have come up with a dozen "ties" for #16 on the list!  (kk)  

Got a few comments about a track left off the list ...

So here are the last "words" on that ...    

Gotta have "Words" in there somewhere.  
Clark Besch    

Kent,   
That's a nice job on listing the 16 best known songs of the Monkees.  I would have probably nixed Randy Scouse Git for either Goin Down or Words, which was the flip of Pleasant Valley Sunday, but the reason I bought the single.  I also agree that their version of Stepping Stone is the much better known rendition, but give me Mark Lindsey's vocals over Micky's any day.  
Nice list, keep up the great work. 
Randy Monk    

Hi Kent,   
I absolutely love your website, and I especially enjoyed your Monkees tribute on March 29th.   
But, in counting down the Top 16 “best-known” songs, did you forget about “Words’, the flipside to “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, which reached #11 on Billboard?  I really enjoyed Micky’s performance on that song.  I know your list was subjective, but doesn’t “Words’ belong in there somewhere?    
Thanks for all you do.    
Ian N. Berger   

Believe it or not "Words" hasn't held up as well as some of the others.  
I still remember it being the intended (and original) A-Side of The Monkees' new single that summer ... which made sense at the time since it was a Boyce and Hart tune ... but "Pleasant Valley Sunday" completely overtook it on the charts.  While it was cool to hear Micky and Peter trade off vocals on "Words" (something that rarely happened ... although they DID do it again on our #16 selection, "Shades Of Gray"), it hasn't aged well ... nor has it retained the familiarity of some of the other tracks we featured.  
Believe me, I struggled with this one since it was such a big hit ... but honestly I think today "Words" would fall behind their 1986 comeback hit "That Was Then, This Is Now" as well as lesser-known (and remembered) singles tracks like "D.W. Washburn", "Listen To The Band" (a GREAT record that just didn't do very well on the charts) and maybe even B-Sides like "Goin' Down" and "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" ... not to mention GREAT album tracks like "What Am I Doing Hangin''Round", "Sometime In The Morning" (another personal favorite), "She Hangs Out", "No Time", "Forget That Girl" and even "Gonna Buy Me A Dog" ... NONE of which made the list due to the restriction of only being able to list sixteen tracks.  But that doesn't mean we can't feature it today! (kk)

In '76 I took a songwriting seminar from Tommy Boyce. He was a good guy. It was a shock when he took his own life.

Gary Myers  
Be sure to check out our complete Boyce and Hart series on the official Forgotten Hits webpage.  (You'll also find a great interview with Bobby Hart there!)  kk
http://forgottenhits.com/the_music_of_tommy_boyce_and_bobby_hart http://forgottenhits.com/forgotten_hits_interviews_bobby_hart    

re:  SWEET 16 / I PITY THE FOOL ... : 
I liked your "Fool" list of songs.  I think you left out the one by the Tams ... the original "What Kinda Fool Do You Think I Am?" but you pretty much got every other 'fool song' so no worries!  
Blossmwrld   

Hi Kent,  
Hard to just put 16 songs, I know, but, for the last few years, Sirius played the heck out of THE FOOL by SANFORD CLARK, almost making it seem like a hit again.  It was first a hit in 1956, written by Lee Hazelwood (from Nancy Sinatra fame, etc).   
Bill Deal is always fun, but The Tams' original version of What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am is also great.    
Thanks for all you do with Forgotten Hits!   
Bill  
Again, within the confines of only sixteen tracks it's hard to hit everybody's favorites ... if you look at our "April Fool's" coverage from 2013 you'll see that we did 19 hours of "foolish tracks" (and ended the night with "The Fool" by Sanford Clark, as a matter of fact!)  We also featured BOTH hit versions of "What Kind Of Fool Do You Think I Am" as well as similarly titled hits by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb, Rick Springfield and Sammy Davis Jr. 
Unfortunately you can't listen to ANY of them now because these were all tracks put up on the site by DivShare, which is apparently now defunct.  (One of these days I'm going to have to go thru the site and clean some of this up ... but with over 2500 postings to date ... and new ones coming out nearly every day, it would probably take me well over a year to do so.)  kk

re:  EMITT RHODES:  
Kent,   
Like you, I was disappointed that there were no "happy" songs in this new Emitt CD.  That said, I don't think he was soured on life and the industry when he wrote his pre-1972 songs.  Now, like many of us, he has gone through life and love's trails and tribulations and these songs were apparently written over the decades, so it is sad often, but also interesting to hear what he has to say.  The lyrics tell the stories so well, often giving us very visual perceptions.  The music is just perfect and the band and sound as well are great.  I understand your disappointment not finding an uplifting song very often in here, but the songs are indeed VERY good.  
Emitt was to be at Austin's great SXSW music festival, but collapsed 3 weeks ago and is staying home recovering.  A great talent then and now and like you, I hope he comes up with more, but just glad to have this after so many years.  

BTW, just got my new Emitt album on VINYL with gatefold cover yesterday along with the "Cornerstones of Rock" DVD.  Talk about a good day!   
Clark

Emitt's had 40+ years to get over whatever record industry issues he may have had.  A bittersweet song or two would have been plenty ... but after this long of a layoff, I was thinking his comeback CD would offer "the best of the best" of what he's written over that 40 year period ... something that would REALLY grab some audience attention.  If this is it, it's pretty disappointing.

I agree with you ... the sound and musicianship on this LP is outstanding ... I believe the artists who participated a true Emitt Rhodes fans and did the best they could with what they were given to work with.

I was excited to hear that he was going to perform live at the South By Southwest Festival ... thought he might be inspired again to get some live, audience reaction.  When I heard about his collapse I must admit I had mixed emotions.  Three weeks later he still can't travel?  Or was it nerves and apprehension about singing live again after all this time.  (I don't think he made ANY live appearances during the height of his solo career, did he?)  As such, this had to be a VERY big deal.

Unfortunately now we'll never know what he would have done ... mix in some of the old favorites with the new tracks?  What kind of response would he have gotten?  Would the audience reaction have been enough to inspire him to get right back into the studio to work on the follow-up LP?  I guess we'll never know.
Believe me, NOBODY could be happier than me to hear that Emitt was recording again.  He made a HUGE impact on my life ... I literally played his first Dunhill LP over a thousand times ... in fact, it's back in my car CD player right now!!!  A lot of the reviews I've read said "Don't compare the new CD to what he's done in the past ... just judge it for what it is."  Fair enough ... I gave his latest effort a "3" out of 10.  What he needed was for the comeback album to blow the doors off ... and, unfortunately, "Rainbow's End" just isn't it.  (kk)      

re:  BUBBLEGUM FAVORITES:

One of the most requested Bubblegum songs on my program over the past many years has been 'Quick Joey Small' by  Kaesnetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus.  That is another one that was bigger in some markets.   Gimme Gimme Good Loving by Crazy Elephant also has been a popular request although that was on Bell records.

Phil Nee - WRCO   

Jan & Dean's Popsicle is bubble-gum-ish ... 
Phil 
PrayForSurfBlog

re: FEEL LIKE MAKIN' LOVE:

I seem to remember Rolling Stone magazine listing 'Layla'  by Derek & The Dominoes as the top loving making song of all time.  I have never tried that one.

How about Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me by Mel Carter? 

Back in the Seventies it was important to have an 8 track or cassette copy of The Best Of Bread.  That seemed to set the mood under the soft glow of the dome light (how romantic)!  

Air Supply provided many an eighties couple with inspiration.
Phil Nee - WRCO

And I supposed Johnny Mathis had to win this honor hands down back in the '50's.  I think he pretty much invented the concept of making out at Lookout Point back then!  (kk)

Hey Kent ...

Just out of curiosity ... I was wondering if you have a top ten romantic songs list.  I remember you used to do reader surveys awhile back. Would you happen to have that list?  I would be interested in seeing it again. 

By the way, how were those three songs mentioned chosen ... I Only Have Eyes For You, Miracles, and Sexual Healing?  There are many songs to set the mood. Any other suggestions?  

Thanks -  

Sandy

We've never done a favorite "get you in the mood" list ... I'm fine with it if readers want to contribute their favorites.

The three song titles listed came from a guest column written by Chet Coppock that ran about a week ago ... 

http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2016/03/coppocks-topics.html

Based on the responses we've seen so far, "Miracles" by Jefferson Starship seems to be the readers' favorite.  (kk)

Oooo ... Sexy Time!



Of course for sexy time you need to play the LONG version!!!  (lol)  kk 
 

re:  THREESOMES:  
How about side one of Beach Boys Today?  
1. Do You Wanna Dance? 
2. Good To My Baby 
3. Don't Hurt My Little Sister (some great covers of this one)

Or Sunflower by the Beach Boys:

1. "Slip On Through" - Dennis Wilson

2. "This Whole World" - Carl Wilson (lead), Brian Wilson (opening line)

3. "Add Some Music To Your Day"

Phil

Pray For Surf

re:  PATTY DUKE:  
I always liked Patty Duke as a role model. "No need to be trashy when you are classy." This is something actresses and singers haven't learned yet in this day and age. (I guess since they lack talent.) Duke was an extremely talented actress especially in "The Miracle Worker."  I cried for an hour after I saw this movie for the first time recently.  Her role as Helen Keller was unforgettable and left a big impression on me. God Bless Patty Duke for ALL she gave us as her audience in her starring roles.  And thank you, Patty! Blossmwrld  

re:  THIS AND THAT:  
A four-cd career retrospective spotlighting Paul McCartney's solo career is scheduled for release on June 10th, the week before Macca turns 74 years old.   

67 tracks spanning his entire solo career (from 1970's self-titled release to the "Hope For The Future" track recorded last year for the "Destiny" video game) ... what now Kanye / Rihanna track?!?! 

A 4-LP vinyl set as well as a condensed 2-CD version will also be released.  

Vintage Vinyl News reports it this way ... and check out this track listing!!!

The solo career of Paul McCartney is about to get a new four-CD retrospective.

Pure McCartney, which will include his solo work along with recordings with Wings and Fireman, will include 67 tracks from his first solo effort,McCartney (1970), to the 2014 track Hope For the Future for the video game Destiny.

McCartney indicates it was a conscious decision to not sequence the album in chronological order. "Me and my team came up with the idea of putting together a collection of my recordings with nothing else in mind other than having something fun to listen to. Maybe it’s to be enjoyed on a long car journey or an evening at home or at a party with friends? So we got our heads together and came up with these diverse playlists from various periods of my long and winding career."

He went on "The word ‘career’ is a bit misleading because to me it has been more like a musical adventure than a proper job. It pleases me, and often amazes me, that I’ve been involved in the writing and recording of so many songs, each of them so different from the others."

In addition to the 4-CD set, there will also be a stripped down 2-CD package along with a 4-vinyl LP box and digital versions. 

Pure McCartney will be released on June 10 via MPL/Concord.

The track lists for the Four-CD Set

Disc 1:  Maybe I’m Amazed / Heart Of The Country / Jet / Warm And Beautiful / Listen To What The Man Said / Dear Boy / Silly Love Songs / The Song We Were Singing / Uncle Albert - Admiral Halsey /  Early Days / Big Barn Bed / Another Day / Flaming Pie / Jenny Wren / Too Many People / Let Me Roll It / New

Disc 2:  Live and Let Die / English Tea / Mull of Kintyre / Save Us / My Love / Bip Bop / Let ‘Em In / Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five / Calico Skies / Hi, Hi, Hi / Waterfalls / Band on the Run / Appreciate / Sing The Changes / Arrow Through Me / Every Night / Junior’s Farm / Mrs Vandebilt

Disc 3:  Say Say Say [2015 Remix] / My Valentine / Pipes of Peace / The World Tonight / Souvenir / Dance Tonight / Ebony and Ivory / Fine Line / Here Today / Press / Wanderlust / Winedark Open Sea / Beautiful Night / Girlfriend / Queenie Eye / We All Stand Together

Disc 4:  Coming Up / Too Much Rain / Good Times Coming-Feel the Sun / Goodnight Tonight / Baby’s Request / With a Little Luck / Little Willow / Only Mama Knows / Don’t Let it Bring You Down / The Back Seat Of My Car / No More Lonely Nights / Great Day / Venus and Mars-Rock Show / Temporary Secretary / Hope For The Future / Junk

As a complete McCartney fanatic, there are a number of replacements (and additions) I would make to this list but it's still a pretty comprehensive set to say the least.  (And if Paul himself was involved in selecting the song line-up, who am I to argue?)

It's just that there are SO many other great songs to choose from that didn't make the cut.  (Was an 8-CD box set out of the question???  lol)  Guess I'll keeping buying the latest releases from "The McCartney Collection" to my own!  (kk)

HEY KENT,

GOT JOEL WHITBURN’S BOOK YESTERDAY. JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW AND SAY, “THANKS”, AGAIN. I ALSO SENT NOTE TO JOEL. VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

GARY MAURER

I'm glad you're enjoying.  I heard from Joelthis morning after we ran the announcement about his two new books coming out in May and June ... and he assured me that we'll have a copy of each to give away as well ... so be sure to stay tuned for that!  (I don't think that there has been a day in my life for the past 45 years where I haven't used one of these!)  kk

And, speaking of great Record Research Books ... 

You've got a lot of great stuff on your website and you are very knowledgeable. Would you know of a resource to find the hits of the 70s that didn't crack the Top 20? I think it would an interesting subject. I would hate to have to go through my Billboard Chart book and figure it out.  
Thank you,   
Randy Fields  
The Billboard Chart Book that will put this answer at your fingertips is Joel Whitburn's "Pop Annual" ... it lists EVERY song that charted ... BY YEAR ... ranked by its peak position.  So, all you'd have to do is scale the charts from 1970 - 1979 from #21 upward and you'll have your answer in complete fashion.  Then you can pick and choose the songs you wish to include that best purpose your research.  (kk)  
Here's a link to the most recent edition: https://www.recordresearch.com/pop/pop_annual_1955-2011_hardcover.php

A couple of Burton Cummings news stories, courtesy of Tom Cuddy ...

http://m.torontosun.com/2016/04/01/burton-cummings-solo-work-gets-canadian-hall-of-fame-nod
http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/entertainment/burton-cummings-reflects-on-solo-career-ahead-of-canadian-hall-of-fame-honour-1.2837672

Vintage Vinyl News is reporting ...

David Cassidy certainly won't be driving the Partridge Family bus ... or any other vehicle for the next five years. 

The singer pleaded no contest on Monday (March 28th) in case that dates back to September when he was involved in a hit-and-run in Florida's Broward County. 

While driving on a highway, witnesses saw Cassidy sideswip a truck and, after looking back, continue driving. 

Police found him and his damaged car later in the day at a hospital where he claimed he had an appointment. 

Cassidy has had a number of DWI charges in the last six years in Florida, New York and California; however, the police could not prove that he had been drinking in this case as he was not found until some time after the accident. 

The sentence for the hit-and-run also includes two years of probation.  If he violates the order, he can go to jail for up to two years. 

According to the Sun-Sentinel, he will be able to leave the state and report to his probation officer via email.  Cassidy is also on probation for five years in California. 

Cassidy's lawyer, Jason Forman, said in a statement "David made a business decision to resolve his misdemeanor offenses today.  He is looking forward to moving on with his life and his career."
 

Just watched the "Apache" video on your site.

Truly, this is what killed the old west.

As I dancer, I am cringing, but they were flexible in their "native" way.

Shelley J Sweet-Tufano

LOL ... Kent!  
The Apache video was very funny.  I watched it with the sound off ... that make it very funny to me.  Followed by "Whipped Cream and Other Delights."  A good finish Kent!
Sandy   

Kent --
I wonder if you're aware of all the parody covers alluding to Whipped Cream & Other Delights. Attached is one (shades of the "Calendar Girls" film) but if you google "and Other Delights" you'll come up with quite a few others. Not sure if they were all real records; I'm hard pressed to imagine that "Clam Dip and Other Delights" is real. But who knows?
--73--
--Jeff Duntemann K7JPD
   Phoenix, AZ

We've run a number of these over the years (including this one ... and one of my favorites, the spaghetti cover!) ... obviously a pop culture inspirational icon.  (kk)

Kent,

Perfect that you would show the Whipped Cream cover on Herb Alpert's birthday. It was not only a great cover, there were some pretty good Herb Alpert tracks inside.  
Joe Malin 
There was a record inside?!?! 
Featuring it on Herb Alpert's birthday was just one of those happy coincidences ... I had the "Helping Out Our Readers" feature already planned and ready to go and had the last comment not been made about the "Apache" video being shown on the site numerous times, I never would have gone down that road. 
I'm sure it makes me look like a programming genius ... but nothing could be further from the truth!  (lol)  kk  

Thanks for that WCFL information, Kent!  
I will be co-hosting a radio show on Saturday April 16 from 6 - 8 pm CST. We'll be interviewing Dennis Tufano if you want to take a listen that evening or hear it later from the archives which retain it for 2 weeks after the show.  website:  wort-fm.org 
Thanks again, Kent. 
Joanie Baker 
Dennis is a GREAT guy and has always been a good friend and supporter of our efforts here in Forgotten Hits.  I feel bad that we missed his recent show here in Chicago to raise funds for Taft High School's Arts and Music Program.  He performed their with our favorite local tribute band, The Chicago Experience and I really wanted to see this show.

Our FH Buddy Jack Mongan sent us a couple of photos from the concert (Chris Montez showed up and sang his hit "Let's Dance"!) and the whole thing was posted on Dennis' Facebook Page ... not sure if it's still there or not since I'm not on Facebook ... but if it is, please check it out ... I heard it was a GREAT show!  (kk)

All photos courtesy of ... and copyright by Jack Mongan Photography

And here's Chris Montez, who we saw the following night as part of the Tommy Roe show at The Arcada Theatre. 

 

What a great lineup for the CFL jocks.  It does not list Ron Riley, who was with CFL in late 68 and early 69, and Lujack's first round in spring, 1967, and Buddy Carr circa mid 68 (at least), as well as others who passed thru quickly.  Sid McCoy's show early on CFL was jazz and featured a guest DJ by the name of a young Yvonne Daniels, later a WLS morning jock-ette.  
Amazing how many WLS jocks went to CFL as soon as master mind, Ken Draper, left.  Even Dex Card was playing the Sound 10 Survey for a short time right after he left WLS in summer 67!  Barney Pip once explained to me years ago that Draper's replacement, Lew Witz, took WLS jocks only to use their name to gain ratings and then discarded them without fanfare.  It was a great, but competitive time.
Clark Besch 
I would love to put together a complete schedule (or as complete as we can come) for both WCFL and WLS for their Top 40 years.  (WLS keeps bringing back many of their vintage AM jocks to work on the FM side so it'd even be cool to recap all of this.) 
I'm sure there are plenty more (and going through the weekly survey charts will probably pinpoint some more specific air shifts ... I just haven't had the time to do so) ... but we welcome the input of any and all Forgotten Hits Readers who can fill in the blanks on this stuff.  (kk)

Speaking of fun stuff on the radio, Scott Shannon assembled the original Morning Zoo Team for a live broadcast of his hot WCBS-FM radio program on April 1st ... and no, it wasn't an April Fool's joke.  This "Morning Zoo" format caught on from coast to coast and, in the early '80's, was a very popular part of the pre-work day of millions of Americans.  You can catch some of the party ... and some cool Morning Zoo memorabilia via the link below.  (kk)   
http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2016/03/09/scott-shannon-morning-zoo-reunion/  
Kent ... 
I wasn't listening the first time around and that's why I don't know what they're talking about today.   
Frank B.   

Frank B also sent us this cool shot from Scott Shannon's Facebook Page ...

#HappyTogether:  Believe it ornot I was out on the golf course this week and happened to spot two happy turtles just hanging out by the lake enjoying the nice weather! (Photo by my pal Chris Baine)
-- SCOTT SHANNON

I wonder if their names are Flo and Eddie?  (I sent a copy of this pic to Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman!)  kk
 

Kent,  
I was released from active duty in the USAF in March of 1964.  I returned to live with my folks in the Los Angeles area.  My dad worked for the State employment office so he got me an interview with a local manufacturing plant.  I landed a spot in the main office as a clerk.
As I was going around meeting the troops, a guy in the mailroom got my attention,  His name was Randy Nauert and in his spare time, he played bass with a local surf band, the Challengers.  When he learned of my radio DJ background, we became instant friends.
I didn't last too long at the job and I was off pursuing my DJ dreams.  Time passed and about 18 months later I was working the all-nite shift on an L.A. FM station.  One evening as I was grabbing  a bite at the local "Bob's Big Boy" before work I looked up and Randy and all the band came walking through the door. 
Randy recognized me so he and the guys joined me in my corner booth.  Introductions were made and we spent the next hour or so telling stories and talking about the music biz.  I had to leave to get to work, so as I was going Randy mentioned that the band was playing the next weekend at the "Orange County World Teen Fair" and I should come out and see them.  That sounded like fun so I promised I'd be there.
I showed up that Saturday evening and found the stage where the band was playing.  As they were finishing their set, Randy saw me in the audience and pointed to the back stage door for me to join him.  When I walked into the "green room" it became one of the most memorable events of my life.
In addition to the Challengers, all the main headliner acts were back there as well.  I managed to walk around and visit with The Dixie Cups ("Chapel Of Love"), Jay & The Americans, Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs and The Righteous Brothers.  I didn't get any real serious talk time but just being in on their various conversations was about all I could handle.  That lasted about 30 minutes and then I was back in the audience and stayed until they all had performed.  A lot of hits and memories in one fantastic evening.
I still e-mail Randy now and then.  He managed to become a player in the L.A. pop music scene and was listed as the producer on at least one national hit, "Junk Food Junkie" by Larry Groce.  Best of all, he was a genuine nice guy and a friend.
Not a day goes by that I don't give thanks for the joy it was to be one of "the good guys" playing "all the hits, all the time" on the radio.  I can't say it was a dream come true, because I never even dreamed it could happen to me as I was growing up with my transistor radio next to my ear.  Thanks for your great work keeping the spirit alive.
Jim Pritchard
(aka "Jim Southern" on the air
and "Chuck Wroste" in local karaoke bars!)

With CBS ready to unload its radio stations nationwide, folks are concerned about the future (or lack thereof) of radio ...

Thought you might find this article interesting: http://www.medialifemagazine.com/coming-the-collapse-of-radios-iheartmedia/  
Ken Voss  

Here is an interesting article about the state of radio today and how it effects musicians and the listeners. http://www.examiner.com/article/capitalism-gone-awry-how-legislation-killed-the-music-industry-and-radio 
So now you know about Clear Channel Communications.  Now read about CBS.  
End of anera: CBS to sell its historic radio division
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-cbs-announces-cbs-radio-sale-20160315-story.html
CBS Corp. is poised to exit the radio business that it helped create.
Eighty-eight years ago, the company's founder, William S. Paley, bought the nascent Columbia Broadcasting System, and those radio stations became the nucleus of a budding broadcast empire.
But on Tuesday, CBS Chairman and Chief Executive Leslie Moonves said the company was exploring strategic options, including a sale or spinoff, of its entire radio division.
“The aim here is to unlock value for our shareholders,” said Moonves, who made the announcement during an investor day in New York.

wctietz
 

R.I.P. Thunderclap Newman who died March 30 
Ken Voss  
http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7318645/andy-thunderclap-newman-dead-the-who

Thundercap Newman had one big hit ... but it was a great one.  "Something In The Air" has been a classic rock staple ever since.  Pete Townshend of The Who was instrumental in putting the band together ... and their best-known track first appeared as part of the soundtrack to the movie "The Magic Christian", starring Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers.  (Badfinger recorded the Paul McCartney tune "Come And Get It" for the film as well and it became their big breakthrough hit.)  kk

Hi,  
Read some feedback on the "Heaven Scent" jingle / song.  I, too, want to know who sang it and I'm curious about the 1972 song version.  I used to wear the perfume and used the powder all the time.  Missing all.  
Ty,  
Kat  
Some of our jingles coverage has proven to be the most popular over the years of doing Forgotten Hits ... and the "Heaven Scent" one ranks right near the top of the list (along with "She Lets Her Hair Down".  I don't know that we ever pinned down the artist(s) who recorded it 'though, unless another reader can enlighten me.  
Since most of those song snippets are dead links now, here is another listen to this very popular commercial.  (I remember after featuring it several times in our website discussions my young daughter running around the house singing it for days, too!  A VERY catchy tune!)  kk

Speaking of commercials ... and odd song choices to be used in this fashion ... who would have EVER thought that we'd be hearing "Little Man" by Sonny and Cher again?!?!?

Although it WAS a Top 20 Hit back in 1966, I don't think radio's played it since ... and yet now I hear it at least once or twice a night, EVERY night as part of the new television commercial for Amazon Prime.

(Kinda cool to know that some of these folks still making decisions at the advertising agencies remember and hold dear to their hearts the songs THEY heard growing up.  And it really is a cute little ad!)  kk


 

Some Charlie Gracie news ...  

SAT. MAY 14: SAVE THE DATE!  3-6 PM!
CHARLIE GRACIE - Philly's First Native Rock & Roll Star Celebrates BIRTHDAY #80 and YOU'RE INVITED! COME PAY TRIBUTE to the MAN and SHOW SUPPORT for the NEW PHILADELPHIA MUSIC HALL OF FAME as well!
SEE INFO BELOW!
CALL THE CLEF CLUB THEATER ASAP to SECURE YOUR SEAT 

"Charlie Gracie is the first R&R singer to come out of Philly: He started it and made it possible for all the rest of us!"
CHUBBY CHECKER 2015
TICKETS (215) 893-9912
Support the new Philadelphia  Music Hall of Fame!   

Philly's First R&R Star:
CHARLIE GRACIE HEADLINES an ALL STAR CAST of some of ROCKABILLY's  finest performers in MILWAUKEE at the beautiful PATOWATOMI HOTEL & CASINO WEEKEND of MAY 22nd, 2016! Looks like it's gonna' be fun Hope to see you there! 

Hi Kent, 
Been very busy lately - I'm up to my neck learning all the songs from Pet Sounds for Brian's tour ofUK, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Israel, NY and New England from May 12 - June 20.  Needless to say, I am thrilled, honored and grateful to be a part of this historic tour!  
Best,  
Billy Hinsche 
That's awesome news, Billy!  Send us some photos from the road. There are no Chicago dates on the list yet ... any chance they'll be adding any more stops to the line-up?  (kk)

Elk Grove Village has put together another stellar line-up for their summer concert series.  Peter Cetera will kick things off on Monday, The 4th of July, followed by LeAnn Rimes (Tuesday, July 12th), Foreigner (Sunday, July 17th) and Michael McDonald (Tuesday, July 26th).  More details are available thru their website: http://elkgrove.com/visitors/mid-summer-classics-concert-series

We're hearing rumblings about a survey collectors show coming up this August in Macomb, Illinois.  Details right now are still a bit sketchy ... but for those of you who enjoyed our last couple years of Survey Spotlight Features (or are collectors yourselves) this might provide the PERFECT opportunity to expand your own collections ... plus meet with other like-minded folks who enjoy the same hobby.  More details to come as I get them.  (kk)

Another Great Forgotten Hits Give-Away!!!

April 4, 2016, 3:42 am

≫ Next: Look at the INCREDIBLE list of artists coming to Chicagoland area ...

≪ Previous: The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 03 - 16 )

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And winning couldn't be easier or more fun!!!  

Our Forgotten Hits Buddy Bill Buster and his crackerjack sound production team just sent us copies of two of their latest efforts to give away to some of our lucky Forgotten Hits Readers:

 Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1960-64: 

30 Amazing Stereo Hits (Hit Parade #12317)

 

Three Decades Of Classic Novelty Hits 

(Complete 60s #13603)

The sound quality on these cd's is absolutely incredible.   (I've already played the  "Hard To Find Jukebox Classics, 1960 - 64 30 Amazing Stereo Hits"through several times in my car and let me tell you, the sound quality just doesn't get any better than this. Start to finish, this is a knock-out listening experience ... especially when you crank it up to high volume!)  

In fact, you can listen to some EXCELLENT sound clips from both these hot new releases on the Eric Records website at www.ericrecords.com ... and while you’re there, also check out all the other cool releases available from these two import labels.

Hit Parade Records'"Hard To Find Jukebox Classics, 1960 – 64: 30 Amazing Stereo Hits" includes 18 new and rare stereo debuts of iconic hits like "Be My Baby", "He's So Fine", "Chapel Of Love", "The Loco-Motion", "Hey Baby", "California Sun", "Louie Louie", "Little Children", "As Tears Go By", "Dawn", "Limbo Rock", "Harlem Nocturne", "Yeh Yeh" and 17 other great tracks. The song selection runs the full spectrum of '60's music.    

And Complete 60s'"Three Decades of Classic Novelty Hits" is just as good, featuring hard-to-find on CD titles like "I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat" by the incomparable Mel Blanc, "The Battle Of Kookamonga" by Homer and Jethro, "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Charlie Ryan, "The Blob" (an early soundtrack smash by Burt Bacharach, performed by The Five Blobs!), "On Top Of Spaghetti" by Tom Glazer and the Do-Re-Mi Children's Chorus, "We Love You Beatles" by The Carefrees (in crystal-clear sound for perhaps the first time ever!), the stereo debut of "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen (yes, someone else did this song before Peter Griffin sang it on "The Family Guy"! ), the recently-discussed "I Love Onions" by Susan Christie and the original Stars on 45 #1 Medley, along with 19 others ... all presented in exceptional sound quality (which is the Eric Records way!)  

And, coming in May ... Eric Records will be releasing the latest installments of their "Hard To Find 45's on CD" series, Volumes 15 & 16, featuring 80s Essentials (and Beyond).  We can hardly wait for these ... I have the complete collection of these great Eric titles!  (Keep watching Forgotten Hits for further announcements!)

There is ALWAYS good stuff available from Eric Records and their import labels!  (By the way, have you noticed how they’ve practically cornered the market on INSTRUMENTALS?  We'll have more on that in an upcoming email!)

Want a crack at winning one of these two new releases? 

Here's all you gotta do:

Visit the Eric Records website athttp://www.ericrecords.com/... 

Browse around and you'll find dozens of OTHER great titles to help fill out your collection ... 

And then send me an email (at forgottenhits@aol.com) with "Eric Giveaway" in the subject line, letting us know which three titles of the nearly 60 listed you'd be most anxious to add to your collection.  

Eric Records wants to know which of these titles press the hot button of our Forgotten Hits Oldies Nation ... and this will allows us to give the label some feedback about what you guys think are their most appealing titles as well as the direction they might most want to focus on for future releases.  

And check this out ... this is the PERFECT time to buy!  

For a limited time only, the Eric Records website is running a special offer where if you buy three CD's, you'll also get your choice of a fourth, special promotional CD from their selected catalog for free!  

So here's how you win ...

Simply by telling us about your visit to the site (and listing your choices for the three most desirable titles), you'll be entered to win one of these two hot new releases we've got to give away ... "Hard To Find Jukebox Classics, 1960 – 64: 30 Amazing Stereo Hits" or "Three Decades of Classic Novelty Hits".  (Let us know your title preference ... due to the number of responses we may receive, we can't promise that we'll be able to award your first choice ... but we will do our best to do so.)  NOTE:  You don't actually have to BUY these titles ... just send me the list of the ones you'd be most likely to purchase and you're automatically entered in our drawing.  (Of course we're hoping that once you visit the site and see the great selection it has to offer, you will find something you like and place an order ... whether it be one cd or a dozen ... but you don't have to buy three CD's in order to qualify for our FH give-away.)    

BETTER YET:  If you happen to find that you do want to take advantage of this special offer ... and actually DO buy a three-pack of CD's from the site (and get your free promotional CD as a bonus), send us your order number (starts with #177xx) as well as the titles of the three CD's you purchased and you'll be entered to win a free copy of BOTH of these hot new titles.

Supplies are limited ... and your chances of winning will be determined by the number of responses we get.  (Purchasing CD's from the site doesn't improve your chances of winning ... but it DOES give you the chance to winBOTH of these great new releases instead of just one or the other.)  

Send us your emails showing your three favorites (or the three you purchased) and we'll enter you in this fun new drawing.  We'll announce the winners by the end of April.  (Deadline for entries is April 21st so visit the Eric Records Website and send in your entries NOW!!!)

Good Luck!

kk

Kent Kotal

Forgotten Hits

forgottenhits@aol.com

Look at the INCREDIBLE list of artists coming to Chicagoland area ...

April 5, 2016, 3:41 am

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≪ Previous: Another Great Forgotten Hits Give-Away!!!

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Friday, April 8th - Rock The '80's - Featuring The Tubes, The Motels and The Smithereens

Saturday, April 9th - Steven Wright

Friday, April 15th - Robert Cray

Saturday, April 16th - Randy Bachman

Sunday, April 17th - John Waite

Friday, May 6th - Crystal Gayle

Saturday, May 7th - Alan Parsons

Sunday, May 8th - Frankie Avalon

Tuesday, May 10th - Engelbert Humperdinck

Wednesday, May 11th - Jon Anderson and Jon Luc Ponty

Thursday, May 12th - Todd Rundgren

Friday, May 13th - The Orchestra (featuring former members of ELO)

Sunday, May 15th - Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.

Thursday, May 19th - Paul Anka

Friday, May 20th - The Electric Strawbs

Sunday, May 22nd - The Glenn Miller Orchestra

Thursday, May 26th - Sebastian Bach

Saturday, May 28th - Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin

Sunday, May 29th - The Zombies

Saturday, June 4th - Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone

Sunday, June 5th - AJ Croce  (Jim Croce's son)

Sunday, June 26th - The Chapin Family

Thursday, June 30th - The Winery Dogs

Sunday, July 10th - Debby Boone

Thursday, July 14th - Don Felder

Saturday, July 16th - Vince Neil of Motley Crue

Sunday, July 17th - Rita Coolidge

Friday, July 29th - Tower of Power

Sunday, August 7th - Shirley Jones

Sunday, August 28th - The Doo Wop Show (featuring Terry Johnson's Flamingos, Joey Dee and the Starliters and Danny and the Juniors)

Saturday, September 3rd - The Return Performance of Cornerstones Of Rock - featuring The Ides Of March, The Buckinghams, The Shadows Of Knight, The Cryan' Shames, The New Colony Six and more surprise guests  (this first show sold out)

Sunday, September 11th - Night Ranger

Friday, September 16th - Norm MacDonald

Saturday, September 24th - Tommy James and the Shondells

Sunday, September 25th - .38 Special

Sunday, October 16th - Pat Boone

Friday, October 21st - Gallagher

Sunday, October 23rd - Little Anthony and the Imperials

Thursday, October 27th - Dr. Demento

Thursday, November 3rd - The Charlie Daniels Band

Friday, November 4th - Dionne Warwick

Saturday, November 5th - Starship (featuring Mickey Thomas)

Sunday, November 6th - Johnny Rivers

Sunday, November 20th - Vikki Carr

Saturday, December 10th - Tony Orlando

Chicago is truly blessed to have this much talent visiting our city ...

But it gets even better than that ...

Not only are all of these artists coming to perform in Chicago ...

They're all coming to perform at THE SAME VENUE ...

The Arcada Theatre continues to prove why they are now the #1 Music Venue in the Midwest ...

The talent never stops ...

And before you can even order tickets for all these great shows, they'll have already added MORE great shows that you won't want to miss!!!

The music NEVER stops at The Arcada Theatre ...

Don't miss the chance to see any of your favorites!

Order tickets online NOW thru their 24/7 website:  www.oshows.com

And we'll see you at the show!

Guest Concert Review

April 6, 2016, 3:56 am

≫ Next: Congratulations To Burton Cummings

≪ Previous: Look at the INCREDIBLE list of artists coming to Chicagoland area ...

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Hi Kent - 

As many folks know, the first Rock Concert is credited to Alan Freed at the Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1952. 

WMJI radio re-introduced the Moondog Coronation Ball to NE Ohio on the 40th Anniversary in 1992 and has been celebrated every year since.  

Last night's show featured Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, who opened the night with his hits, including Oh Leah and Love Is Like A Rock, and wrapped up his set with the hit he wrote back when he was with The Jaggerz, The Rapper, which was linked with a great cover of the Joe Cocker version of  A Little Help from My Friends.    

Next up were The Spinners, featuring the only living original member, Henry Fambrough.  They performed all the hits, very well choreographed, such as Cupid, Working My Way Back To You, Rubber Band Man, and more.   

Next were Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame Inductees, Creedence Clearwater Revisited, featuring original members Doug "Cosmo" Clifford and Stu Cook.  A set featuring all the hits, but too long of a guitar solo on Suzie Q.  It was a fun set ... but not quite the same without John Fogerty on vocals. 

Wrapping up the evening was Michael McDonald, performing both Doobie Brothers and solo songs.  In this writer's opinion, this set was marred with too loud of music and vocals that were not very clear, possibly due to poor mixing at the sound board.     
Tom Apathy  

Photos from the 2016 Moondog Coronation Ball -  
Copyright Tom Apathy, 2016    

DONNIE IRIS
 

THE SPINNERS

 

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISITED

MICHAEL McDONALD

Good stuff ... thanks for sending, Tom!  What an interesting mixed bag of artists to have at one show!     

I've never seen Donnie Iris before but heard he puts on a rockin' good show.    

We saw The Spinners last year and they put on a very entertaining show ... especially the big "Rubber Band Man" finale! 

Creedence Clearwater Revisited was just here a few weeks ago ... we elected not to go, knowing that these songs are going to be best represented by the guy who wrote 'em and sang 'em ... I've been to several John Fogerty concerts over the years and they've always been top notch. (I saw the ORIGINAL Creedence Clearwater Revival back in the early seventies, right after Tom Fogerty had left and the group was down to the trio.  To this day it remains one of the loudest concerts I've ever heard in my life!  It was almost as if they were over-compensating for the missing member ... NOT enjoyable at all ... and I was probably the worlds' biggest CCR fan at the time.)  

We ended up missing Michael McDonald's Christmas Concert last year ... but he'll be back at a free outdoor concert in Elk Grove Village in July so we're hoping to catch him then.  His voice has been pretty spotty on the last few live tv things I've seen ... but I caught him when he was still with The Doobie Brothers in the early '80's and it was an excellent show.  (My only disappointment with that one was that they opened up with "Takin' It Too The Streets", which is my all-time favorite Doobie Brothers song ... which meant ... for me anyway ... that everything else performed that night was downhill from there!)   

Thanks again for the review and the awesome pics!  (kk)

Congratulations To Burton Cummings

April 7, 2016, 3:04 am

≫ Next: The Friday Flash

≪ Previous: Guest Concert Review

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A VERY big week for Burton Cummings this past week as he was inducted into The Canadian Music Hall of Fame for the second time ... this time as a solo artist.  (Previously he was enshrined as a member of The Guess Who.)

He was also awarded a Juno Lifetime Achievement Award ... it just doesn't get any better than this ... nor is there a more-deserving artist unto whom to bestow such an honor.

Incredibly ... in what can ONLY be described as complete ignorance and lunacy (not to mention a COMPLETE injustice) ... neither The Guess Who (nor Burton ... or his former song-writing partner Randy Bachman or Randy's post-Guess Who group Bachman-Turner Overdrive) have ever even been so much as nominated for America's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.  (What is WRONG with these people?!?!)

Burton's Road Manager (and long-time Forgotten Hits list member) Sam Boyd sent us a couple of clips from the televised ceremony ... man, just LISTEN to the ovation Cummings gets when they first announce his name for the induction!!!  Absolutely incredible ... and well-deserved.

We're hoping to catch him again this fall at The Arcada Theatre (date still to be announced) ... meanwhile enjoy this little piece of Canadian History! 

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The Friday Flash

April 8, 2016, 3:46 am

≫ Next: The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 10 - 16 )

≪ Previous: Congratulations To Burton Cummings

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Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

Tonight's the big night ... Chicago finally gets inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame!

Listen to Scott Shannon interview Robert Lamm:

http://wcbsfm.cbslocal.com/2016/04/07/robert-lamm-wont-stop-peter-cetera-from-joining-chicago-during-rock-hall-induction/

Also being inducted this year ... Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Steve Miller and NWA ... the ceremony is tomorrow night and will be televised on HBO on April 30th.  (kk)

 

ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME: Friday Night Preview 

The 31st annual induction ceremony returns once again to Brooklyn, New York. 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will hold its 31st annual induction ceremony Friday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York with Cheap Trick, Steve Miller, Deep Purple, Chicago and N.W.A all going in. 

Artists become eligible, 25 years after the release of their first recordings. Cheap Trick, Chicago and Steve Miller, all of whom have long been eligible, were all elected on their first nomination. Deep Purple and N.W.A have been nominated before. 

The public's five favorites were counted as a “fans’ ballot” along with the hundreds of industry insiders who voted. Three of the fan selections were elected: Chicago (#1), Deep Purple (#4) and Steve Miller (#5). 

Kid Rock will induct Cheap Trick;Rob Thomas will speak for Chicago; Lars Ulrich of Metallica will heap praise upon Deep Purple; The Black Keys will honor Steve Miller; and Kendrick Lamar will be on hand for N.W.A. 

Friday night'sceremony will air on HBO on Saturday, April 30th at 8 p.m. ET. 

 

More Losses This Week

The list just keeps growing ...   

 

Country Superstar Merle Haggard (105 charted country hits between 1963 and 2005) passed away on Wednesday, April 6th (which just also happened to be his 79th birthday), after a couple of rough illness-plagued years.

Haggard had a rough go of it in his late teens and 20's (he was first arrested at the age of ten!), often in trouble with the law.  The story goes that he was incarcerated at San Quentin when Johnny Cash performed at the prison and that Cash inspired him to turn his life around and pursue a career in music ... but the fact of the matter is Haggard had already been recording since late 1963 and this fateful San Quentin appearance didn't happen until 1969.  (Ron Smith's story below puts Haggard in San Quentin in 1957 at the age of 20 ... probably a far more likely scenario ... but UNLIKELY that he would have seen Cash perform at the prison at this point in Johnny's career.)

Merle's roots were certainly in country music ... but he did cross over to the pop charts a few times, too ... In 1969 (again, something else that doesn't make the above timeline work) "Okie From Muskogee" hit #41.  He had a #27 Pop hit in 1973 with "If We Make It Through December" and reached #58 with "From Graceland To The Promised Land" in 1977, released shortly after Elvis Presley's death.

 

Official Forgotten Hits Grim Reaper Ron Smith fills in some of the gaps on Merle Haggard ... as well as a few other rock and roll casualties from the past week ...

 

Country star Merle Haggard, whose 1970 tune, "Okie From Muskogee" (#41 - Pop, #1 - Country, 1970) made him a star, died Wednesday (April 6) of pneumonia on his 79th birthday. He had been in poor health for quite some time. Born in Bakersfield, California, he spent three years in San Quentin (California) Prison for burglary, starting in 1957. Continuing his love of music upon his release, he became part of the Bakersfield sound popularized by Buck Owens. Merle charted in 1964 on tiny Tally Records with "Sing A Sad Song" (#19 Country) and a year later he was signed to Buck's own label, Capitol. All told, he charted 105 times on the Country charts (12 times on the Pop charts) in 42 years, including crossovers like "The Fighting Side Of Me" (#92 - Pop, #1 - Country, 1970) and "If We Make It Through December" (#28 - Pop, #1-Country, 1973). Merle was granted a full pardon for his early offenses by then-California Governor Ronald Reagan in 1972. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1994 and was granted an honorary doctorate in fine arts by California State University in Bakersfield in 2013.

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Leon Haywood, best remembered for his 1975 hit, "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You" (#15 - Pop, #7 - R&B) died Wednesday (April 6). The Houston native was 74. Leon started playing keyboards with blues musicians in Houston and Los Angeles before joining Sam Cooke's backup band until Sam's death in 1964. Leon moved on to a solo career, charting with "She's With Her Other Love" (#92 - Pop, #13 - R&B) as Leon Hayward (he quickly changed to his real name). While "Freaky" was his only Pop top 40 hit, he was a staple of the R&B charts from 1965 - 1984, including "Keep It In The Family" (#50 - Pop, #11 - R&B, 1974), "Come An' Get Yourself Some" (#83 Pop, #19 R&B, 1975) and "Don't Push It Don't Force It" (#39 Pop, #2 - R&B, 1980). He also wrote and produced Carl Carlton's "She's A Bad Mama Jama" (#22 - Pop, #2 - R&B, 1981) and went on to produce blues artists, may on his own EveJim Records.

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Carlo Mastrangeo, founding member and lead singer of the Belmonts after the departure of Dion, died Monday (April 4) near his home in Boca Raton, Florida, from an undisclosed illness. He was 77. The group -- named for Belmont Avenue in New York, was paired with Dion DiMucci in 1958. Bronx native Carlo sang bass on tunes like "I Wonder Why" (#22 - 1958), "A Teenager In Lover" (#5 - 1959), and "Where Or When" (#3 - 1960) until Dion's departure for a solo career in 1960. Carlo moved up to lead singer on songs like "Tell Me Why" (#18 - 1961) and "Come On Little Angel" (#28 - 1962) but left himself for a solo career as "Carlo" in 1962 after a dispute with the group over the finances of their self-owned label. He never charted again in the U.S., either solo or with his later group, the Endless Pulse (later, Pulse). He did however, work with Dion again as a backup musician and songwriting partner from 1964 to 1966. In 1972, Dion and the Belmonts reunited at Madison Square Garden in New York for an oldies show that was recorded and released as an album.

From Tom Cuddy:

Carlo Mastrangelo, the basssinger in The Belmonts who moved up to replace Dion DiMucci as the group's frontman, died Monday at age 77. Dion credits Carlo with coming up with the ear-catching opening of The Belmonts' first hit "I Wonder Why." The intro was supposed to start with "Wella, well, wella, I don't know why..." Mastrangelo didn't like it. So they huddled and came up with an alternative: a rapid-fire "di-di-di-di-di-di..."

And, speaking of Dion, FH Reader Frank B sent us this link ...

http://www.noise11.com/news/dion-releases-buddy-holly-tribute-visionary-heart-20160331

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Details are sketchy, but its been learned that Mike Gibbons, lead singer and trumpet player with Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods, died Saturday (April 2). Formed in 1965 while the founding members were still in high school (Mike joined later in the decade), the group got its break opening for the Osmonds in the early '70s. Though they had recorded in their native Cincinnati and with Family Productions (where "Special Someone" as "The Heywoods" made it to #64 nationally in 1972), it was signing with ABC Records and spotlighting keyboard player Robert "Bo" Donaldson that made them stars. With Mike singing lead, their cover of Paper Lace's "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" spent two weeks at #1 in 1974, followed by "Who Do You Think You Are (#15 - 1974) and "The Heartbreak Kid" (#39 - 1974). But "Our Last Song Together" (#95 - 1975) proved to be just that -- at least on the charts. Singles for Capitol Records, Playboy Records and Republic Records (as the Bo Donaldson Band) failed to chart and even a switch to country music as River Bend failed to re-kindle their star power. By the '80s, they split up though they did reunite to play the oldies circuit in 1996.

Frannie's very first concert was Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods opening up for The Osmonds.  I didn't realize that Bo didn't sing any of their hits until I saw the group perform last year at The Arcada Theatre as part of a '70's show extravaganza (where former Bay City Roller Kyle Vincent sang their hits), after which is was explained to me that Bo was never their lead vocalist ... those duties were filled by Mike Gibbons.  (kk)

Review here:  http://forgottenhits60s.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-70s-pop-fest.html

Got this from FH Reader Tom Cuddy ...

BO DONALDSON Remembers Vocalist Mike Gibbons   

The singer of "Billy Don't Be a Hero" died Wednesday of pneumonia. He was 62.

Mike Gibbons,the voice of such Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods hits as "Billy Don't Be a Hero," died Wednesday from pneumonia. He was 62.

Reached at his Southern California home, Donaldson -- who was the group's keyboard player, not its frontman -- recalled Gibbons as having "a great voice... In the studio, he would grab a song and all it would take would be one or two [takes] and he would have it down. I mean, he just had a real natural ability."

Bo says theyhad remained friendly over the years and always left the door open for Gibbons' return. Mike last worked with the Heywoods about three years ago in their home town of Toledo. But plans for a reunion of the band's mid-'70s lineup, which also produced "Who Do You Think You Are" and "The Heartbreak Kid," never came together.

Eric Records

Have you entered for your chance to win a free CD from Eric Records?

We've received quite a few entries so far.  (Scroll back to Monday, April 4th, for all the details)

Some of your comments (including some high praise for the quality compilations released by this label) are below.

Now I should point out that NOBODY has actually PURCHASED any CDs from The Eric Records Website ... which is kinda disappointing because I thought we would get at least a few readers vying to earn the chance to win TWO free CD's instead of one ... plus there are SO many great selections there to choose from!

And right now Eric Records is running a special offer through their site whereby if you purchase three regular CD's (from the selection of about 60 titles available), you'll also get the chance to pick a FREE Promotional CD from their selected list ... PLUS you'll be entered to win copies of BOTH CD's that we have to offer here at Forgotten Hits!  (Hard To Find Jukebox Classics, 1960-64 and Three Decades Of Classic Novelty Hits)

You can visit the site here:  http://ericrecords.com/

We're accepting entries up through April 21st ... so go online, pick your favorites and enter now!

 

Hi, Kent,    

I’ve got a lot of the songs on all of these, but they’re interesting collections, and some the stereo cuts (the real ones, not the DES) sound quite worthwhile.  

No orders at this time, but it’s good to know the Eric folks are still around. I’ve got several of their 45's in my collection; do they still maintain that catalog?  

Thanks for all you good work!  

Best regards, 

Country Paul Payton  

 

Hi Kent,

The Eric CDs I would be most anxious to add to your collection are Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1964, Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1963 and The Paris Sisters Sing Everything Under The Sun.

I talked with Bill a few times in the early days of Eric records when I was PD at WHN and we had mutual friends, Barbara and Fred Kelly (who managed Country singer Randy Barlow). Glad to see that Bill is still doing well.

Ed Salamon

 

Eric Records has had a long and distinguished history of catering to the oldies fan interested in something other than just endless reissues of the same handful of burned out oldies.  Serious rock, pop, soul and country collectors cherish Eric Records for their quality, high true stereo content and frequent inclusion of rare or otherwise impossible to find tracks. 

I was in contact with the owner of Eric Records a number of years ago regarding the licensing of a number of tracks he owns outright, such as The Rivieras'"California Sun."  I should have suggested the idea of Eric issuing a series of CDs under the "History of Rock 'n' Roll" banner, a trademarked name I could license to him.  I could also work with him in compiling each CD and contributing the liner notes.   Maybe I should still do that. 

Where does one begin in picking three Eric releases as the most desirable, considering that ALL their albums are worth having -- especially at the low prices they are offered at?  In my case, I have copies of about 99% of the tracks on the Eric CDs but not necessarily the stereo mixes.  Therefore, I guess I could say that "Hard To Find Jukebox Classics 1960-64" would be one of the three for its stereo content, but then again so would the "Amazing Early '60s Box" -- and either the '63 or '64 "Jukebox Classics" CDs.  

What do I do here?  I'm also a sucker for comedy tracks so "Three Decades of Classic Novelty Records" -- even though it actually incorporates tracks from FIVE decades (the '40s through the '80s) -- is indeed cool.  "Sugar Pop Classics" sounds like a fun, spirit-lifting collection of wonderful tracks to drive to. 

Well, that's more than three picks, which I guess knocks me out of the competition.  Having myself compiled and annotated more than 300 LP and CD repackages of vintage material, I can only imagine how much trouble Eric Records went through to assemble and make available a catalogue which is 100% junk free.   

Gary Theroux 

 

Greetings, Kent, 

I took a trip 'down memory lane' and it  was truly hard to limit my 'best of' to only three. Whomever A&R'd these selections did a great job of picking some truly  'timeless' rock classics.

Here are my three -- but all of the titles sounded great -- particularly the instrumental selections, which we just don't hear on the radio these days, nor have we in several decades. Growing up in those glorious 50's and 60's, instrumentals were a regular part of the Top 40 experience ... jazz, country, big band, surf, we got it all. The kids of today really  have no idea of what they missed out on. Listening to Top-40 radio was a fabulous introduction  to all varieties of music.

So, here we go:

1.) Hard To Find Classics of 1957

2.) Amazing Early 60's

3.) Hard to Find Juke Box Classics of '60-'64

Ironically, as I went through the tracks, I came across  a number of acts I'd booked -- as far back as my senior year at El Camino High School in Sacramento: Rusty Draper, Jerry Wallace were the earliest two -- and they were a solid year prior to producing my first Beach Boys concert on May 24, 1963. I booked Ray Peterson in September and talked Murry Wilson into hiring Ray for several early Beach Boys tours, including Hawaii (for Tom Moffitt) and Australia. Ray, whom I booked on an appreciation show for KXOA Radio on September 6, 1963 -- a show that also featured The Coasters, The Righteous Brothers, Johnny Burnette and our buddy, Freddy Cannon. Come to think  of it, I believe Al Frazier and The Rivingtons were also on that show. Oh, what a night, early September back in '63!:)

I could have spent another hour just going through the great titles!

Have a great 2016!

Fred Vail, President / CEO
Treasure Isle Recorders, Inc.

Nashville, TN  -- Music City, USA

PS Congratulations to our friend and studio client, Jason Aldean, on winning the coveted "Entertainer of the Year" at last night's ACM Awards. We're in the midst of recording our seventh album with Jason -- and Michael Knox, son of Buddy -- his producer.

 

This And That

Kent, 

Thought you might dig this ... 1973 pic of me helping the incomparable Wayne Cochran suck down scotch. I wanna say the photo was taken at the long gone Happy Medium.      

Chet Coppock 

 

 

Very cool!  Thanks for sharing, Chet!  (kk) 

 

EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT PROUDLY PRESENTS THE ROLLING STONES - TOTALLY STRIPPED ~PRESENTED ON MULTIPLE FORMATS~ JUNE 3, 2016~

New York, NY (April 6, 2016)—On June 3, Eagle Rock Entertainment will proudly release Totally Strippedby The Rolling Stones. One of the most anticipated releases in recent years, this collection features The Rolling Stones going back to the source of many of their favorite tracks, creating new stripped back versions. Selected material from studio sessions and shows presented here formed the Stripped album of 1995.

Totally Stripped is available as a DVD or SD Blu-ray containing the newly-revised documentary of the same name, or on DVD+CD or DVD+LP featuring the documentary and single CD / 2LPs compiled from live shows [MSRP $29.98 SD Blu-ray+CD, $21.98 DVD+CD, $39.98 DVD+2LP].  Additionally a DVD or SD Blu-ray deluxe edition is available, packaged with a 60 page hard book set containing 5 discs [$109.98 for 4 SD Blu-ray+CD, $99.98 for 4 DVD+CD] which boasts hours of previously unavailable music (three complete shows made available for the first time ever) from this truly legendary act.

These reimagined versions lose none of their impact and emotional heft, and in fact connect with listeners in a different way. Totally Stripped itself is a brand new version of the documentary of the same name, which tells the stories of the two studio sessions and three live shows (The Paradiso in Amsterdam in May 1995, L’Olympia in Paris and Brixton Academy in London in July 1995) that make up this project. The Deluxe Edition contains a CD of favorites drawn from across the live shows and three DVDs featuring, for the first time, ever each of those shows in full.

Following the ‘Voodoo Lounge’ tour, The Stones released Stripped, an album of reconsidered, pared back renderings of some classic Stones tracks, and also a couple of carefully chosen covers.  The album mixed new studio versions of tracks with some live songs.  The tracks that made up Stripped were taken from two studio sessions that took place in Tokyo [March 3-5, 1995] and in Lisbon [July 23-26], and a trio of live shows in July 1995 at small concert venues in London, Paris and Amsterdam. Keith Richards commented, “There’s something about playing these small venues, the immediacy of it.  Also we can keep God out the band, because on big gigs he sometimes turns up as rain or wind”.

As Mick Jagger said at the time, the aim was to “Take the best element from [MTV] ‘Unplugged’, the intimate thing of it, without actually doing it completely unplugged”.  This collection is built on the power of lyric and melody, and the material here feels somehow simpler yet potent, as the songs stand on their individual timeless quality rather than on the production techniques and technical expertise that generally come as part and parcel of being the biggest band in the world. 

Totally Stripped is the release that the fans have been waiting years for, a document that reveals the inner workings not only of The Rolling Stones themselves but also indeed some of their most loved tracks.  Revealing, intimate and moving, Totally Stripped is unmissable.

TRACK LISTING:

CD:  NOT FADE AWAY – AMSTERDAM / HONKY TONK WOMEN – PARIS / DEAD FLOWERS – AMSTERDAM / FARAWAY EYES- LONDON / SHINE A LIGHT – AMSTERDAM / I GO WILD – PARIS / MISS YOU – LONDON / LIKE A ROLLING STONE – AMSTERDAM / BROWN SUGAR – PARIS / MIDNIGHT RAMBLER – LONDON / JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH – PARIS / GIMME SHELTER – AMSTERDAM / RIP THIS JOINT – AMSTERDAM / STREET FIGHTING MAN - AMSTERDAM

DVD1: ‘TOTALLY STRIPPED’ DOCUMENTARY

DVD2:  PARADISO, AMSTERDAM / 26•MAY•95

NOT FADE AWAY / IT’S ALL OVER NOW / LIVE WITH ME / LET IT BLEED / THE SPIDER AND THE FLY / BEAST OF BURDEN / ANGIE / WILD HORSES / SWEET VIRGINIA / DEAD FLOWERS / SHINE A LIGHT / LIKE A ROLLING STONE / CONNECTION / SLIPPING AWAY / THE WORST / GIMME SHELTER / ALL DOWN THE LINE / RESPECTABLE / RIP THIS JOINT / STREET FIGHTING MAN

DVD3:   L'OLYMPIA, PARIS / 03•JUL•95

HONKY TONK WOMEN / TUMBLING DICE / YOU GOT ME ROCKIN’ / ALL DOWN THE LINE / SHATTERED / BEAST OF BURDEN / LET IT BLEED / ANGIE/ WILD HORSES / DOWN IN THE BOTTOM / SHINE A LIGHT / LIKE A ROLLING STONE / I GO WILD / MISS YOU / CONNECTION / SLIPPING AWAY MIDNIGHT RAMBLER / RIP THIS JOINT / START ME UP / IT’S ONLY ROCK ‘N’ ROLL / BROWN SUGAR / JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH

DVD4:  BRIXTON ACADEMY, LONDON / 19•JUL•95

HONKY TONK WOMEN / TUMBLING DICE / YOU GOT ME ROCKIN’ / LIVE WITH ME / BLACK LIMOUSINE / DEAD FLOWERS / SWEET VIRGINIA / FARAWAY EYES / LOVE IN VAIN / DOWN IN THE BOTTOM / SHINE A LIGHT / LIKE A ROLLING STONE / MONKEY MAN / I GO WILD / MISS YOU / CONNECTION / SLIPPING AWAY / MIDNIGHT RAMBLER / RIP THIS JOINT / START ME UP / BROWN SUGAR / JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH

 

Speaking of The Rolling Stones, they are reported to be releasing a new album later this year ... more info on that as it becomes available.

 

And we're also hearinglots of buzz about Paul Simon's new album, "Stranger To Stranger", out June 3rd.  You can listen to the first single ("Wristband") on Simon's website:

http://www.paulsimon.com/?cid=nl7043&utm_medium=email_SFMC&utm_source=6383388&utm_campaign=email-7043-201647&utm_content=nllink-375615-www.paulsimon.com

 

ZZ TOP AND GREGG ALLMAN U.S. TOUR SET FOR LATE SUMMER AND FALL

“That Little ol’ Band from Texas” and the legendary Gregg Allman are back at it.  Having shared the stage many times throughout the decades, ZZ Top and Gregg Allman are set to hit the road together this year, on a tour that will take them from the Midwest to the east coast, and all the way out to the western states, including California.

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons commented on the bond his band shares with Allman and the upcoming tour, “The history with ZZ Top and Gregg Allman together goes way back to around the time the earth cooled.  The double lineup makes for a killer combination so buckle up and let's have a party!  Rock on!”  

Having formed more than four decades ago in the Houston area of Texas, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees ZZ Top continue to be a relentless touring machine. The bearded duo of singer / guitarist Billy Gibbons and bassist / singer Dusty Hill, and drummer Frank Beard, aka “the man with no beard” have consistently rocked audiences with their brand of chrome-plated, electrified dirty blues. Hot rods, buzzards, B.B.Q., cacti, furry guitars and alluring women are some the many images that have become synonymous with the ZZ Top experience but their blues/rock sonic skew has kept them in forefront for longer than any US-based band.  Audiences can look forward to seeing them belt out timeless hits such as “Legs,” “La Grange,” Sharp Dressed Man,” “Tush,” and many more from their 15 studio albums.   

As a founding member of the legendary Allman Brothers Band and in his own storied solo career, Gregg Allman has long been a gifted natural interpreter of the blues, his soulful distinctive voice one of the defining sounds in the history of American music. Also a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Allman more recently received the “Living Legend” award from Classic Rock Magazine, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the ABB. He continues to captivate audiences, as evidenced in his recent Gregg Allman Live: Back to Macon, GA live DVD/CD package, containing crowd favorites like “Statesboro Blues,” “Melissa,” “Queen of Hearts” and “I’m No Angel.”      

ZZ Top/Gregg Allman tour dates 

Aug 16 - Huber Heights, OH - Rose Music Center

Aug 17 - Clarkston, MI - DTE Entergy Music Theatre

Aug19 - Anderson, IN - Hoosier Park Racing & Casino*

Aug20 - Fort McCoy, WI - Ft. McCoy Army Base

Aug21 - Springfield, IL - Illinois State Fairgrounds

Aug23 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake PAC

Aug 24 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center

Aug26 - Atlantic City, NJ - Event Center @ Borgata

Aug27 - Essex Junction, VT - Champlain Valley

Aug 28 - Boston, MA - Blue Hills Bank Pavillion

Aug 30 - Hyannis, MA - Cape Cod Melody Tent*

Aug 31 - Hartford, CT - Xfinity Theatre

Sep 1 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Center

Sep3 - Syracuse, NY - Lakeview Amphitheater

Sep 4 - Portland, ME - Maine State Pier*

Sep 24 - Albuquerque, NM - Sandia Casino

Sep 25 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Sep 29 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Avila Beach Concerts*

Sep 30 - Murphys, CA - Ironstone Amphitheatre

Oct 1 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery

Oct 2 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery

Oct4 - San Diego, CA - Humphrey’s*

Oct 6 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre

Oct7 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl

Oct 8 - Rancho Mirage, CA - Agua Caliente Casino*

*ZZ Top only

The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 10 - 16 )

April 10, 2016, 9:16 am

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A short but sweet Sunday Comments Page today ...

But filled with lots of goodies.  Read on!  

FH Reader Tom Cuddy (who was thanked in part of Chicago's acceptance speech when they were inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Friday Night in Brooklyn) sent in this clip of that acceptance speech so we can share it with our readers before the HBO special runs at the end of the month.  (As expected, Peter Cetera did NOT show up for the ceremony.)  Of course the world would have absolutely NO idea who Peter Cetera is were it not for his time spent in this great band ... so I don't quite understand the need to express such bitterness here at this moment of recognition and in ANY way dampen the joy of the other founding members.  As recently as the day before Robert Lamm told Scott Shannon that Peter was still welcome to join the group on stage and perform any song(s) he wanted to ... but in THEIR key, not his, alluding to one of Cetera's ridiculous earlier demands. (Cetera may be an asshole for not showing up ... but that was his choice.  Read the link below and you'll see that fellow inductee Steve Miller felt it necessary to trash the Hall as well ... noticeably AFTER he accepted his award.)    
Check 'em out here:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/04/09/arts/music/after-his-induction-steve-miller-rips-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame.html?referer=

Later in the week we'll have Ron Onesti's hands-on account of what it was like to be there for this momentous occasion ... he shared a table with Robin Zander of Cheap Trick and Danny Seraphine of Chicago.  Judging by the clip above, Danny was emotionally charged that night to both be winning such a prestigious award AND playing with the guys he first help found the band with some fifty years ago.  (Sax player Walt Parazaider says the band rehearsed for the very first time in his basement on February 15, 1967.)  It was Danny's first time performing as a member of Chicago in over 25 years.  (Check out his book sometime ... a great read!)  You'll also note that our Forgotten Hits buddies Tom Cuddy and Scott Shannon are both mentioned in the group's list of thank you's.)  kk       
http://www.amazon.com/Street-Player-My-Chicago-Story/dp/0470416831/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460303805&sr=1-1&keywords=danny+seraphine

Bet you didn't know you and Steve Miller shared similar feelings about Jann Wenner!

David Lewis

Me and about two-thirds of the planet!  (lol)  And yet somehow he still outranks ALL of us!!! (kk)

Eric Burdon and the Animals have just been added for two shows at Chicago's City Winery ... but if you're interested in seeing them, you'd better act fast.  They've sold out EVERY time they've played there!

Monday, September 26th, and Wednesday, September 28th

http://www.citywinery.com/chicago/catalogsearch/result/?q=burdon   

Hi Kent,
Not sure if you mentioned it, but we also lost Andy "Thunderclap" Newman this week:  
http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/03/andy-thunderclap-newman-obituary
Man, if you're gonna be a one-hit-wonder, it may as well be with a song like "Something In the Air!"
Also, do you know when the Rock and Roll Hall of Lame, er, Fame airs on HBO this year?
Thanks, and all the best,
Bob Rush (who is still undecided as to his possible candidacy for POTUS ..... : )  
Yep, we covered Thunderclap Newman last week - and I agree - one hit wonders don't come much better than "Something In The Air". (Didja know that song was written for "The Magic Christian" soundtrack, the same one that broke Badfinger's "Come And Get It", written by Paul McCartney and starring Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers?)

I didn't know that! 
The actual Hall of Fame ceremony was held last Friday Night in Brooklyn and first airs on HBO on April 30th (and then probably at least a thousand more times in May!). tenkuveddymooch! 
As for the presidential candidates I'm casting my vote for Dolly Parton, as hers are probably the best of all the boobs currently running.
Hard to argue with that!
Best,
Bob

Hey Kent, 

Well, that is sad news to hear that bass vocalist of The Belmonts, Carlo Mastrangelo, has died. It was his voice that was first heard on Dion and the Belmonts' first hit, "I Wonder Why". Carlo was a jazz drummer, and that scat sound he sang was basically vocal drumming! He often took the rest of the group to jazz clubs, to get the guys interested in blending their pop style with jazz and blues. Many people don't know that it was Carlo who backed Buddy Holly on drums on Buddy's last gig at Wall Lake, because Buddy's drummer had frostbite on his feet from riding the very cold tour bus.

I rediscovered Dion and the Belmonts about a year and a half ago and haven't stopped playing their songs since. I have the "Carlo and The Belmonts" CD, too, and I think it's worth getting, if you're into the doo-wop era. He was a very good lead singer as well. 

Dion and Carlo lived very close to each other in Florida, and got together often, in recent years. Now, there is only one original Belmont left in this world ... Angelo D'Aleo, my all-time favorite falsetto singer. It would be a real kick if him and Dion could get together to make another set of recordings. I know the two of them still have their pipes. 

- John LaPuzza

I don't know about Angelo but Dion sounds better than ever ... and he has settled very comfortably into his current blues groove ... his last couple of albums have been just outstanding.

I had never heard the "frostbitten feet" story before ... pretty amazing (and just more proof as to why some of these guys wanted to fly to their next gig.)  kk

Hello,
I am a real fan of the Buckinghams and especially the songs they recorded from 1967 through 1970.  I especially like the work Dennis Tufano did on these songs.
I recently found your blog and read your article "The Buckinghams: A Forgotten Hits Exclusive" from Wednesday, June 15, 2011.  In this article you offer a link to the original Buckinghams performing their hit Susan recorded live on the Ed Sullivan show, I think in January of 1968.  The Ed Sullivan show section of the clip showing the group performing the song with Dennis Tufano singing lead only last for one or two seconds and then changes to a clip of Carl Giammarese with the "new" Buckinghams singing the song.  Carl is also a great performer and singer I enjoy his work, too.
However, I have been trying very hard (in vain) to obtain the full video and audio clip of the Buckinghams singing Susan on the Ed Sullivan show to add to my Buckingham collection -- all without success.  Your one or two second clip is as close as I have come. 
Can you tell (help) me get the audio and video clip of the Buckinghams performing Susan on the Ed Sullivan show?

Thank you.
Bill Hofstetter
Nashville, TN

You'll find a few Buckinghams clips from back in the day on YouTube but quite honestly their appearances on both The Ed Sullivan Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour have never been licensed through their respective copyright holders for such use.  (Season One of the highlights from The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour never came out ... for some RIDICULOUS reason, they issued the programs BACKWARDS, so we've got Season Three ... and then Season Two ... but Season One, on which The Buckinghams appeared, never saw the light of day ... and I've never gotten an answer as to when ... or even IF these discs will be released.)

Same thing with The Ed Sullivan Show ... there are a number of GREAT DVD's available of key performances of this era ... but unfortunately The Buckinghams' performance has never made the cut.

And the powers that be who own and control this material have always been VERY instrumental in policing these clips so that when they DO show up on YouTube from time to time (and they do), they are very quickly taken down.  (You'd think the very fact that watching them is in such high demand that it might eventually dawn on them to commercially release this material so that the fans can own and enjoy it again ... but for whatever reason that logic just doesn't seem to exist.)

They don't pop up often ... and they don't stay up long ... so if you DO get a chance to see them you'd better catch 'em while you can!  (I just happened to hit the luck of the draw this morning ... but have NO idea how long they'll be available for viewing.)

The Ed Sullivan Show and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour aired back to back on CBS in the late '60's and were always an EXCELLENT way for music fans like up to keep up with the latest hits, artists and musical trends of this VERY exciting time in music.  Sad to say the audience who would be most receptive to owning this material is shrinking ... so they really ought to consider getting these clips out to market NOW so that their key, core audience can still enjoy them again.

OK, stepping off my soap box now.  (kk)

Kent ...

Check out Glen Campbell's smokin' instrumental version of "The William Tell Overture".

The Lone Ranger Rides Again.  
Great TV Show.  
Lousy  Movie.
Frank B.

My, but that little country boy can play, eh?  Campbell actually released a version of this on the flip-side of his chart-topping single "Southern Nights" in 1976.  (kk)

Kent,

Speaking of commercials which run in the background songs from days gone by, last night here on television I saw one for the first time. Can't remember the  product or whether it was a local or national commercial, but the song in the background was WORRIED MAN but it wasn't the Kingston Trio singing it.

Larry
I don't think I've ever seen this one ... anybody able to share more details?  (kk)      

For any who never heard the original version of Jan & Dean’s “Popsicle”, it was by The Todds on the Todd label from 1962. It may be on you tube.   

Ken

Not sure if this is it or not because in one place it's identified as "The Todds" and in another as "Gene and the Pearls"!   (kk)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOYGDQ5dH-s

Another Great Concert Review

April 11, 2016, 4:00 am

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As promised last week FH Reader Tom Apathy is back with another concert review ... and some more great pics.  

Take it away, Tom!

Hi Kent -  

 

The "Pop, Rock & Doo Wop Live" show came to the Lorain, Ohio Palace Theater on Friday, April 8th.  A big snow storm was on its way, that would dump up to nine inches of snow on NE Ohio overnight, but that did not stop a large crowd from attending, and the artists to put on a great show.  

 

The show kicked off with The Shades of Blue.  While no original members were on stage, they still put on a fun and energetic show to open the concert, culminating with their big hit "Oh How Happy" 

 

 

Next up was Rock N Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Shirley Alston Reeves with The Shirelles.   

 

Shirley looked and sounded great, running through many hits, including "Soldier Boy", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and "Baby It's You".  

 

 

One of the most popular singers that frequents NE Ohio was up next ... Dennis Tufano, the original voice of The Buckinghams.  

 

Dennis could have easily headlined this show with all his hits ... "Susan", "Don't You Care", "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", "Kind of a Drag" and "Don't You Care".  Instead he led the show into the intermission ... and was the only act to come back out for an encore!

 

 

Getting things going after the Intermission was Jay Siegel's Tokens.  Jay has not lost anything, still hitting some amazing notes with "Tonight I Fell In Love" and "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as well as hits from groups he gave their start like The Happenings.

 

 

Wrapping up the show was Jay and the Americans.  I was a little apprehensive about this act, with Jay the Third (Jay Reincke) handling the lead vocals.  I have seen both Jay Traynor and Jay Black (who were both amazing), so I was skeptical on anyone else doing their hits.  Surprisingly, Jay Reincke sounded great.  The high notes were not quite as strong as Black, but put on a very good show.  It was also very cool to see three original Americans on stage singing, Marty Sanders, Howie Kane and Sandy Deanne.  The group ran thru all the hits, including "She Cried", "Only in America", "Walking in the Rain", "Cara Mia" and "Come A Little Bit Closer".

 

 

Sandy Deanne, Marty Sanders, Howie Kane and Jay Reincke (Jay #3) of Jay and the Americans

(NOTE:  ALL photos copyright 2016 Tom Apathy and used by permission exclusively in Forgotten Hits)

 

All in all, a very good show, lasting about three hours (including the twenty minute intermission).  

 

I was also pleased to see and hear the amazing Dave Zane on lead guitar backing all the groups.  Dave regularly handles the lead duties for both The Buckinghams and The Americans.

 

Tom

50 Years Ago Today

April 12, 2016, 3:27 am

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In a very unfortunate case of life imitating art, Jan and Dean's tale of "Dead Man's Curve" almost came true for real for Jan Berry when he crashed his car into a parked truck on Whittier Drive, right near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, on the part of the strip known as "Dead Man's Curve" on this date in 1966.

 
Most feel that handsome Jan Berry was the genius and driving force (no pun intended) behind Jan and Dean, often compared to Brian Wilson in his role of leading The Beach Boys.  (Ironically it was Berry, along with Wilson, who wrote Jan and Dean's only #1 Hit, "Surf City", which topped the charts in The Summer of 1963 ... something that pissed off Beach Boys' Dad Murry Wilson to no end since The Beach Boys themselves had yet to hit the #1 spot ... he felt that Brian had literally given away their big break.)

"Dead Man's Curve was released as a single in March of 1964 and rose to #8 on the pop charts.  Other Top Ten Jan and Dean hits included "Jennie Lee" (actually, Jan and Arnie [Ginsburg], 1958, released while Dean was doing a stint in The Army Reserve); "Baby Talk" (#7, 1959); "Honolulu Lulu" (#9, 1963); "Drag City" (#10, 1964) and "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" (#3, 1964).  Other popular hits include "Heart And Soul" (#16, 1961); "Linda" (#26, 1963, incredibly a song written about a very young Linda Eastman McCartney!); "The New Girl In School" (#26, 1964); "Ride The Wild Surf" (#16, 1964); "Sidewalk Surfin'" (#25, 1964); "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" (#27, 1965) and "Popsicle" (#21, 1966).  In 1964, Jan and Dean hosted the infamous T.A.M.I. television special.

Berry and Dean Torrence recorded under the tutelage of Lou Adler for Liberty Records.  (In a case of questionable loyalty, Adler ended up dating Berry's girlfriend Jill Gibson while Jan was going through his extensive recovery period, ultimately placing her in The Mamas and the Papas as Michelle Phillips' replacement for a brief time after Michelle was fired from the band.  In fact, it was the Jill Gibson cover of The Mamas and the Papas' record album that became an instant collectors' item after Mama Michelle was reinstated into the group and the cover showing HER picture quickly replaced the one of Jill in record stores everywhere!)    

 

Jill ... and Michelle

Berry received severe brain damage and paralysis due to the accident (and lay in a coma for over two months).  It was a VERY long road to recovery and it would be four years before he could talk again.  Told that he would never walk again, Jan beat the odds and, through a tough regimen of determination and physical therapy ... along with the love of his fans and the devotion of his partner, not only walked but returned to the performing stage as well several years later.  According to Bob Greene's excellent account "When We Get To Surf City", in his very best of times, Berry had to relearn all of his songs again on a daily basis in order to be able to go out and perform them that night as Jan and Dean.  It is a very touching tribute to a man who lived to sing his songs.   
http://www.amazon.com/When-Get-Surf-City-Friendship/dp/B01071KCOA/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460429652&sr=1-2&keywords=bob+greene+surf+city   

Jan and Dean continued to perform up through the time of Berry's death in March of 2004.  Sadly, a great 1978 TV Movie depicting their career (the good, the bad and the ugly) is apparently now out of print on home video.

Today, Forgotten Hits remembers Jan Berry.

The Mamas and the Papas Revisited

April 13, 2016, 3:30 am

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WAY, way back in 2003 ... before many of you were even born ... Forgotten Hits did a piece on The Mamas and the Papas.

After putting together my piece on Jan Berry yesterday, I was inspired to resurrect this one again (for probably the third or fourth time) as I have always been such a huge fan of their music.

At the time, I tried to put together one of those "Ten Things You Probably Didn't Know About" pieces, similar, in fact, to our Jimi Hendrix piece that ran a few years later.

I had just read the (then) new book "Go Where You Wanna Go", an excellent compilation that told the story of the group in their own words through a series of interviews they had each done over the years.  Using only their quotations without any narrative ... and being OF the time rather than a hindsight review ... I found the book fascinating.

So now, in typical '60's FLASHBACK fashion ... let's revisit our piece on The Mamas and the Papas.

'60's FLASHBACK:   
TEN THINGS YOU PROBABLY NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS
(before reading our Forgotten Hits piece in 2003) 

There is no question that THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS were one of the most successful recording acts of the mid-'60's.  In the short span of just two years, they placed TEN songs in The National Top 40, including Top Ten Hits like CALIFORNIA DREAMIN', MONDAY MONDAY, I SAW HER AGAIN, WORDS OF LOVE, DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE and CREEQUE ALLEY.  ALL of these were across-the-boards smashes.

1.)  Folk-club pal BARRY McGUIRE (hot on the heels of his own Number One Hit "Eve Of Destruction") got THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS their first audition with producer LOU ADLER and DUNHILL RECORDS.  That fateful day, they performed three songs:  GO WHERE YOU WANNA GO, MONDAY MONDAY and CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' (ironically, these songs would become their first three singles!)  LOU ADLER had never seen or heard ANYTHING like them before.  (He literally could not believe his eyes and ears ... hence the title of their first album.)  He immediately knew that he needed to sign them right away before any other label in town had the chance.  Although the final details still needed to be worked out, he asked group leader JOHN PHILLIPS what he wanted in order to sign and JOHN replied, "I want a steady stream of money coming from your office to my house."  The truth was, THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS were broke ... down to their last ten dollars.  ADLER said that he would hire them to sing backup vocals on BARRY McGUIRE's new album, THIS PRECIOUS TIME, as a means to earn some money until they were ready to start their own recording sessions.  As more of a favor to earn him some songwriting royalties, McGUIRE agreed to cut one of JOHN PHILLIPS' own compositions at these sessions ... a little tune called CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'.  The arrangement and backing track were identical to the one eventually released as THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS' version.  In fact, they simply removed BARRY McGUIRE's vocals, inserted their own, and replaced what was once a harmonica solo with the flute solo we all know and love.  PHILLIPS supposedly begged McGUIRE not to release his version as a single so that HIS band could have a chance at the song.  McGUIRE agreed, stating that, after all, it was JOHN's song in the first place.  It turned out to be a career-making decision for both artists involved.  Truth was, BARRY McGUIRE was having a hard time getting airplay after EVE OF DESTRUCTION ... the song was controversial and banned by many radio stations around the country...yet still sold well enough to hit the top spot on the charts.  McGUIRE would never have another Top 40 Hit ... but CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' launched the careers of THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS.  (BTW:  BARRY McGUIRE had some pretty impressive help on his first few solo recordings.  Not only did THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS sing background on his THIS PRECIOUS TIME album, but the backing group on his hit single EVE OF DESTRUCTION was none other than fellow Dunhill group THE GRASS ROOTS!)  

DIDJAKNOW?:  If you're able to cleanly separate your stereo channels, turn up the volume and listen VERY carefully ... you'll hear Barry McGuire's original vocal "leaking" into the new Mamas and Papas vocals laid on top of the original backing track!





2.) THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS' first album (IF YOU CAN BELIEVE YOUR EYES AND EARS) went all the way to #1 ... a pretty amazing feat for an otherwise unknown group.  In hindsight, it's all the more amazing that it did as well as it did.  The photograph of a co-ed group together in a bathtub was considered pretty racy at the time ... even a little erotic, despite the fact that they were all fully clothed.  What REALLY set things off, however, was the fact that the toilet wasn't cropped out of the picture!  (Back in 1966, you didn't DARE acknowledge the fact that toilets really DID exist!  I clearly remember all the controversy in 1971 when ARCHIE BUNKER first flushed his toilet off-screen on ALL IN THE FAMILY ... it caused quite a stir!)  In fact, SEARS, the biggest music retailer at the time, refused to carry the album unless DUNHILL RECORDS slapped a sticker over the offending toilet promoting the hit singles CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' and MONDAY MONDAY ... and that's the way nearly ALL copies exist today.  (If you've got a copy of the rare toilet seat cover, you've got QUITE a collectible on your hands!!!)

3.)  The story behind THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS' hit song I SAW HER AGAIN has been told many, many times over the years.  After the initial success of their first album, MICHELLE PHILLIPS, wife of leader JOHN PHILLIPS, began an affair with lead vocalist DENNY DOHERTY.  When JOHN discovered them together, he was humiliated ... and faced with the task of what to do ... throw out their lead singer (and, most certainly, their careers down the drain) or continue on for the sake of the group ... and all this in the midst of basking in the success of their very first album!  Amazingly, he chose the latter and even composed a song about their sneaking around together.  I SAW HER AGAIN was a Top Five Smash and became DENNY's permanent punishment ... for penance, he had to sing it every night in concert.  However, in the book GO WHERE YOU WANNA GO ... THE ORAL HISTORY OF THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, (written by MATTHEW GREENWALD), an interesting new fact about this recording came to light:  The line after the instrumental break in the middle of the song where the group sings:  "I Saw Her ... I Saw Her Again Last Night" was actually a mistake.  DENNY came in early during the original recording and the engineer kept going, planning to fix it later.  Producer LOU ADLER liked it so much, he added strings and the other voices to the coincidental error.  In hindsight, he says that it always sounded "spliced-in" to him ... but it was a hook that they NEVER would have thought of on their own, were it not for the mistake!  ADLER explained, "On I SAW HER AGAIN, that's a mistake, by the way ... DENNY coming back in.  I just left it in the mix.  It was just a mistake but when we were mixing, it felt nice to leave it in."  Bass Guitarist JOE OSBORNE, who played on the session recalled:  "Is that the one that sounded like a splice?  Yeah, that's some of BONES HOWE's editing.  He was great with a razor blade.  I think he loved it, too ... he never did like to get a whole take!"  But Recording Engineer BONES HOWE remembers:  "We were laying down the vocals against the track and we got to that break and they came in at the wrong place, and they all came in together and then the track came in ... and they stopped and started again together.  I remember punching in at the spot where the rhythm section came in, right on the downbeat.  Then the voices that had led up to that point were still there.  So we played it back and I played it from before that and of course it went:  'I saw her ... I saw her again ...'  And then I said, "Well, don't worry about that, LOU, I'll clean it up," and he said, "No, no, no ... don't touch it!  I love it!  Make sure that we don't lose that ... I want to use that!"

4.)  At the peak of their soap-opera-like career, THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS fired Mama MICHELLE PHILLIPS and replaced her with an unknown blonde look-alike named JILL GIBSON without any formal announcement to the public!  Fed up with her non-stop dalliances (well-publicized affairs with bandmate DENNY DOHERTY and GENE CLARK of THE BYRDS were just the tip of the iceberg, apparently), band-leaderJOHN PHILLIPS gave the group the ultimatum:  either SHE goes or I do.  In the scheme of things, it really was no contest ... MICHELLE was just a voice ... and an incidental voice at that ... the REAL talent in the band belonged to CASS ELLIOTT and DENNY DOHERTY, who handled all the lead vocals and JOHN PHILLIPS, who wrote and arranged the material.  On June 28, 1996, formal papers were signed and delivered and MICHELLE was out of the group ... 'though STILL MARRIED to JOHN!  JILL GIBSON was the former girlfriend of JAN BERRY, one half of the pop/surf duo JAN AND DEAN, who was now laying paralyzed in the hospital after his infamous DEAD MAN'S CURVE accident.  JILL moved on (romantically) to record producer LOU ADLER ... who just happened to be the guy in charge of THE MAMAS AND PAPAS recording sessions.  With virtually no previous singing experience (she was a model and an artist), MICHELLE's vocals were stripped off their next LP and Jill's voice was duped in.  They even reshot the album cover!!!  All that mattered was the fact that JILL had the look ... it's said that at her first couple of concert appearances, most of the audience didn't even notice that MICHELLE had been replaced.  Once the word got out, however, JILL never had a chance ... fans booed their appearances and demanded the return of MICHELLE.  She was soon reinstated ... once again, just like the I SAW HER AGAIN incident, for the good of the band.  To this day, she says that she can't say for sure which vocals on their second album, THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, are hers and which ones are JILL's.  (Is THAT incidental enough for you?!?!?)

A copy of the actual letter 
(signed by all three of the other band members) 
officially firing MICHELLE PHILLIPS from the group!!!

  

  The "Michelle Phillips" Cover / The "Jill Gibson" Cover

(Once THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS kissed and made up ... they really WERE the original FLEETWOOD MAC ...
the MICHELLE PHILLIPS photo was reinstated and that's how the album was released to the public!    

5.)  JOHN PHILLIPS started writing TWELVE THIRTY (a #12 Hit for THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS in the Fall of 1967) back in late 1964 / early 1965 when the group was still living in New York City.  There was a church steeple outside JOHN and MICHELLE's apartment that was is the process of being torn down and the clock really WAS stopped at 12:30 ... which meant that every time they passed by, the clock "always read twelve thirty."  The song was finished a couple of years later when THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS were based in Laurel Canyon in California ... hence, the line about the young girls that would "come into the canyon."

6.)  In one of the tales often told by JOHN PHILLIPS as to why he would not, at first, let CASS ELLIOTT join the group, he claimed that there was a certain note that she was unable to hit.  (The truth is that PHILLIPS felt that, despite her great singing voice, CASS's appearance might turn off potential fans.)  The story goes that while out walking one day, CASS was hit in the head by a falling pipe and that, after the accident, she could now hit that elusive note that JOHN was looking for ... and she was then invited to join the band!  Although this was always laughed about and shrugged off as just one of JOHN's quips, in fact CASS WAS hit in the head by a falling pipe during one of their rehearsals!  Although it didn't alter her pitch, it served as the inspiration for this story to be repeated over the years.  (MICHELLE PHILLIPS has said that the story has been told SO many times that she can't even remember if it's true or not!)

7.)  Speaking of MAMA CASS, former HOLLIES member GRAHAM NASH says that, were it not for CASS ELLIOTT, there never would have been a CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH.  She was the one who introduced the then out-of-work NASH to her VERY close friends DAVID CROSBY (of THE BYRDS) and STEPHEN STILLS (of THE BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD).

8.)  And, just for the record, CASS ELLIOTT did NOT die from choking on a ham sandwich, as has been erroneously reported for over 30 years.  The official cause of death was ruled "a heart problem leading to heart failure."  Nothing was found lodged in her throat or trachea.  (In fact, she had very little to eat the day before she died.)  It is now believed that CASS already had a heart condition for quite some time (she had numerous blackouts and fainting spells) and that, coupled with her obesity, along with several "crash diets", (not to mention a MAMMOTH intake of drugs over the years), all simply proved to be too much for her heart to bear.  The official autopsy showed NO drugs in her system.  She died in a London flat owned by HARRY NILSSON ... ironically, the very same room that drummer KEITH MOON of THE WHO would die in four years later.  (The circumstances surrounding the death of CASS ELLIOTT is one of rock's greatest urban legends.  The fact that an uneaten sandwich was found beside the bed caused the press to jump to the conclusion that she choked on the sandwich and then suffocated in her own vomit.  Later, it became a HAM sandwich, I guess, to further exploit her weight problem.  When the REAL autopsy report was released a full week later, the press chose to ignore it.  What's that they always say?  When the truth and the rumor don't match, ALWAYS print the rumor!)

9.)  In early 1970, MICHELLE PHILLIPS happened across a heretofore unrecorded, unpublished singer / songwriter by the name of KRIS KRISTOFFERSON.  With THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS pretty much kaput at that point (CASS, JOHN and DENNY were all working on solo albums at the time), she approached producer LOU ADLER about recording a solo single of her own.  She picked out two tracks that she wanted to release, played them for LOU, and was promptly turned down, told that the songs were "too country sounding" and that she must be losing touch with her audience to even consider recording them.  As a result of this discussion, MICHELLE's would-be single of HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT (backed with ME AND BOBBY McGEE) never saw the light of day ... and she never had a solo hit.  One year later, both of those songs would become #1 hits for SAMMI SMITH (#1 Country) and, ironically, JANIS JOPLIN, an oldMONTEREY INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL aquaintence.  (MICHELLE PHILLIPS never had a solo hit record released under her own name!)

10.)  And finally, speaking of THE MONTEREY INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL, it was Papa JOHN PHILLIPS and producer LOU ADLER who became the driving forces behind the first-ever rock festival.  They believed that by 1967, rock music had become enough of an art-form that it justified its own cause.  Using the MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL and the MONTEREY FOLK FESTIVAL as their inspiration, they put together the MONTEREY INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL in June of 1967.  Using their own money, they bought out the original investors .... and, with donations of $10,000 each from JOHNNY RIVERS, SIMON AND GARFUNKEL and TERRY MELCHER, they laid the foundation for this ground-breaking, one-of-a-kind event ... TWO full years before WOODSTOCK!  JOHN and MICHELLE served on the Board Of Directors Committee (along with such other music industry luminaries as PAUL McCARTNEY, DEREK TAYLOR, PAUL SIMON, ART GARFUNKEL and LOU ADLER.)  The idea was to get a bunch of their favorite artists and friends to perform for free and show the world that rock had its place among the "arts" of our society.  Ironically, original promoters ALAN PRASIER and BENNY SHAPIRO had already signed RAVI SHANKAR to perform and had guaranteed him $5000.  SHANKAR was the ONLY artist to get paid for his performance that day!  Everyone else was flown in and given hotel and meal accommodations, but no cash was ever exchanged for their performance.  As such, there was no record label involvement and THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS were allowed to invite whomever they chose without the usual politics involved in such an endeavor.  The charity foundation continues to this day, nearly 50 years later, earning royalties from CD sales and revenues generated by their documentary film of the event.  All of the artists participating turned over all future claims to any earnings, so the foundation has been able to handle (at their own discression) things like building free health clinics in Los Angeles and San Francisco ... they even paid some of Motown legend MARY WELLS' hospital bills ... made donations to the R&B Foundation in New York and have been involved in music cultural exchanges with Cuba ... pretty much anything that they feel is a good cause (without the need to go to committee to get it done!)  And what a group of musicians they were able to bring together:  long-time friends like THE BYRDS and THE BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD, investors JOHNNY RIVERS and SIMON AND GARFUNKEL ... California favorites like THE GRATEFUL DEAD and THE JEFFERSON AIRPLANE ... popular artists like BOOKER T. AND THE MG's and THE ASSOCIATION (who kicked off the whole shebang) ... British rockers like THE WHO and ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS (who even went on to record a song about the whole event) ... diverse / avant-garde acts such as RAVI SHANKAR, HUGH MASEKELA, QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE, MOBY GRAPE ... and up-and-coming complete unknowns (and future rock and roll legends) like JIMI HENDRIX (at PAUL McCARTNEY's suggestion), OTIS REDDING and JANIS JOPLIN with BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY ... many of these artists getting their first real national exposure courtesy of this event.  (By the following week EVERYBODY knew who these artists were!) JOHN PHILLIPS even wrote a special song for his buddy SCOTT McKENZIE to sing ... and the hit SAN FRANCISCO (WEAR FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) became the anthem of The Summer Of Love.  (LOU ADLER and JOHN PHILLIPS flew in 150,000 orchids from Hawaii to be distributed at THE MONTEREY INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL.  Original posters promoted MUSIC, LOVE AND FLOWERS and, tied in with McKENZIE's new song (SAN FRANCISCO, WEAR FLOWERS IN YOUR HAIR) it really helped make the Summer of Love happen.  (BTW, LOU ADLER and DUNHILL RECORDS never really forgave JOHN PHILLIPS for giving away what just MIGHT have been the biggest record of THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS' career!)  Incredibly, even with this stellar line-up,THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS were still the biggest name on the bill at that time and had the honor of closing the show.  (JOHN and MICHELLE PHILLIPS were the essence of Pop Royalty at the time.)  Unfortunately, so much of the previous three months had been spent organizing the event that NO time had been spent rehearsing!  (In fact, they sounded AWFUL that night ... and every bad note has been preserved for all eternity on the live album commemorating this event!)  DENNY DOHERTY literally drove eight hours the day of the show to arrive just in time to go on stage (after spending the previous several weeks drinking alone in the Virgin Islands.)  CASS flew in the night before.  Worse yet, imagine the pressure to follow to the stage THE WHO, who had just finished destroying all of their instruments (as they were doing at the time) and JIMI HENDRIX (who had just lit his guitar on fire!) with this little harmony-driven folk / rock band.  But THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS persevered and, in fact, shortly afterwards hired JIMI HENDRIX as their opening act!!!  (He was available, having just jumped off THE MONKEES' tour!!!)  Incidently, some of the biggest names in pop music at the time ... THE BEATLES, THE MONKEES, THE ROLLING STONES and THE BEACH BOYS...were all rumored to be, at one time or another, performing at this historic event.  Of course, that never happened ... but members of each of these bands were very involved behind the scenes (and many even attended some of the concerts.)  In particular, PAUL McCARTNEY, GEORGE HARRISON, MICKY DOLENZ, PETER TORK, and BRIAN JONES all took active roles.  It's been said that, in hindsight, THE BEACH BOYS may have turned their careers around simply by performing at MONTEREY that weekend.

A FEW MORE:
The lyrics to The Mamas and Papas' 1967 Hit "Creeque Alley" tells their history up to that point.  There are not-so-subtle references to Barry McGuire, Roger McQuinn, The Lovin' Spoonful and others throughout the song ... as is the tale of their trip to The Virgin Islands (and maxing out their American Express Card) ... but perhaps the BIGGEST surprise of all upon first listen was the line "And no one's getting fat 'cept Mama Cass."  Denny and Michelle thought that SURELY this must be some sort of a joke ... John wouldn't REALLY sing that lyric on the record ... but he did ... and Cass LOVED it!



John's inspiration for "California Dreamin'" came in the middle of the night.  He truly HAD stopped by a church earlier that day.  He woke Michelle up to jot down the lyrics and she brushed him off.  Finally he told her he'd give her HALF the song-writing credit (and thus half the royalties) if she'd simply get up out of bed and write down the lyrics before he forgot them.  She did ... and has made more money thanks to that one night of restless sleep than probably any other in her entire life! 

Although "California Dreamin'" was the group's first big breakthrough hit (and, one would think, an obvious one at that!), Dunhill Records released "Go Where You Wanna Go" as their first single.  It only lasted in the market place for a few weeks however.  After it failed to chart, it was quickly withdrawn and "California Dreamin'" was released in its place.  A year later a new group called The Fifth Dimension would release THEIR version of "Go Where You Wanna Go" and it became their first of 21 National Top 40 Hits. 

http://www.amazon.com/Go-Where-You-Wanna-History/dp/0815412045/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460457839&sr=1-1&keywords=go+where+you+wanna+go 

http://www.amazon.com/Papa-John-Autobiography-Legends-Shattering/dp/0385231202/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460457908&sr=1-1&keywords=john+phillips

http://www.amazon.com/California-Dreamin-Story-Mamas-Madness/dp/0446513083/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460457971&sr=1-1&keywords=michelle+phillips 

http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Little-Me-Life-Elliot/dp/1556525885/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1460458021&sr=1-1&keywords=mama+cass

http://www.amazon.com/Mamas-Papas-California-Dreamin/dp/B0007QCGX6/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1460458114&sr=1-1&keywords=mamas+and+papas 

http://www.amazon.com/Mamas-Papas-Straight-Dick-Clark/dp/B000YKYT62/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1460458158&sr=1-2&keywords=mamas+and+papas  


THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS HIT LIST 
1966 - California Dreamin'  (#2)
          Monday Monday  (#1)
          I Saw Her Again (#4)
          Look Through My Window  (#14)
1967 - Words Of Love  (#5)
          Dedicated To The One I Love  (#2)
          Creeque Alley  (#4)
          Twelve Thirty  (#12)
          Glad To Be Unhappy  (#19)
          Dancing Bear  (#36)
1968 - Safe In My Garden  (#33)
          Dream A Little Dream Of Me  (#8)  
          released as Mama Cass with The Mamas and the Papas
          For The Love Of Ivy  (#48)
          Do You Wanna Dance  (#43)   

Still my all-time favorite Mamas and Papas recording (and a RARE chance for Michelle to take the lead) ... 

 

The 2016 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

April 14, 2016, 3:30 am

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As promised, here is Ron Onesti's recap of his own personal experience at this year's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The full piece will appear in tomorrow's edition of The Daily Herald where Ron has a regular column (see link below) ...

But Forgotten Hits Readers get to read it FIRST right here!!!  

Rock Hall Induction … A report from Brooklyn   

CHICAGO and Cheap Trick bring Rock and Roll pride to Illinois

  

As it is every year, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction class is a hot topic of discussion that usually goes in either or both of two directions.  The debate gets heated when the conversation becomes more about who is NOT in the hall, rather than who is.  Those musical greats who have not yet been inducted are discussed, defended and fought over reminiscent of those “My dad is bigger than your dad” days in the school playground.   

For me, I take it for what it’s worth.  I am happy for those who ARE selected, and do not spend much time complaining about who is not.  I thoroughly enjoy my time when I go to Cleveland to visit the Rock Hall, and there are plenty of inductees I am happy for.  Don’t get me wrong, there are many groups I can plead a case for, and I could justify their place of honor as much or more than many current inductees.  But really, in the end, it’s all entertainment, not very scientific, and like life, a bit unfair.  

If you have read my column before, you may remember last year’s report from Cleveland as I attended The 30th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies (if you haven’t, go to dailyherald.com and look it up, it was a VERY cool night).  I recently attended this year’s edition, and it was a very special evening.  It was a quite emotional and long awaited induction of three bands in particular that I not only have had the privilege of working with, but also have been blessed by their friendship over the years.   

CHICAGO, Cheap Trick and Deep Purple were honored this year, along with Steve Miller and N.W.A.   

Of the thirty-one past induction ceremonies, only four have been held in the Hall’s home town of Cleveland.  The others, as it was this year, have been held in New York City, except for twice in Los Angeles.  This edition was held at The Barclays Center in downtown Brooklyn, and not at the semi-usual location of Madison Square Garden.

Lars Ulrich, the famed drummer from the metal - supergroup Metallica was the first to welcome the eighteen-plus thousand in attendance.  His job was to induct English heavy metal band Deep Purple.  Taking full advantage of his opening spot, he spent all of twenty minutes outlining all the reasons why Deep Purple was to be awarded this coveted honor.  He saluted keyboardist Jon Lord, who passed away in 2013.  I really appreciated the fact that Ulrich congratulated all fourteen members of the band that circulated through the band over the years.

Purple pioneers Ian Pace, Ian Gillian, Glenn Hughes and David Coverdale all were there; however Hughes and Coverdale were not invited to perform the three-song medley at the event.  And Ritchie Blackmore, the controversial guitarist who came up with that famous “Smoke On The Water” riff, did not attend due to differences with the band.  

Blackmore not being there was a real shame, I thought.  If you were a child of seventies’ rock, the first lick you learned was that opening riff of “Smoke On The Water”.  I was in sixth grade when the air guitar was born for me, and that was the song that birthed it!  And when the band played “Smoke” after another megahit, “Hush”, I found my air guitar skills were thoroughly still intact.

Steve Miller was next up.  I have never met the man, outside of being in the audience with him at another awards ceremony for an organization I sit on the board for, Little Kids Rock.  I was interested to hear him speak and try to find out what kind of guy he is.  I was excited because the very first 45 rpm record I bought with “my own” money, was “The Joker” by the Steve Miller band.

I found out a few things I didn’t know about him, such as the fact that he was from Milwaukee, grew up musically in San Francisco with Boz Scaggs, played the famed Fillmore club one hundred and twenty nine times, came to Chicago to learn the blues (the band was actually named ‘The Steve Miller Blues Band’ until it was shortened for simplicity), and that guitar pioneer Les Paul was his godfather and taught him his first chord when little Steve was only five years old!  He seemed humble and laid back, as he challenged the Rock Hall to honor more women and to bring more music to schools.

After the show, however, he strongly criticized the Hall for its poor treatment of the performers, saying that he just did it so as not to disappoint the fans.  “They gave me two tickets, for me and my wife.  When I asked the about my band and their wives, the said it would be ten thousand dollars apiece. I was furious,” Miller said.

But man, when his distinctive voice and somewhat poetically distorted guitar belted out “Fly Like An Eagle” “Rock’n Me” and “The Joker”, the place went crazy!  It was interesting to note that “The Steve Miller Band” was nominated as a solo act rather that an entire band, and that his Greatest Hits album sold over thirteen million copies, more than The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album.

Next up, definitely a controversial selection, hip-hop heavies, N.W.A.  Rap superstars Ice Cube and Dr. Dre (the first certified billionaire rap artist) led the group on stage, recalling those formative years in Compton, a city plagued with crime near Los Angeles.  Their messages and music were in response to the excessive gang violence and alleged police brutality of the eighties, and reflected the racial strife of the time.

They acknowledged the presence of diversity within the Rock Hall, and encouraged more.  Ice Cube sent out a message to KISS band member Gene Simmons who was quoted as saying, “Rap doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame.  It’s not rock.”  “Rock and Roll isn’t a specific genre,” Cube said.  “It is a spirit, a combination of all forms of music.”  In subsequent interviews, Simmons begged to differ.

Sheryl Crow then performed an acoustic rendition of the Eagles’ classic “New Kid In Town”, remembering Glenn Frey, the Eagle who had recently passed away.  It was a serene moment.

“Matchbox Twenty” frontman Rob Thomas had the honor of inducting CHICAGO which was for me, the moment of the night.  CHICAGO was MY band.  It was the first band that I really got into, listening and learning every cut on every album, from seventh grade until today.  “Their first three albums were DOUBLE albums, and they had the guts to name themselves after a city that was the center of the Blues, and Rhythm & Blues.  That takes guts,” Thomas said.

Actually the moment started earlier that day for me.  Original drummer, Danny Seraphine, asked me if I was available to join him and his family for breakfast at the Waldorf-Astoria.  What a cool thing to do!  Danny and I have been close friends for a long time, and he was one of the main reasons why I attended the ceremonies.  You see, he was excused from the band over twenty-five years ago, citing irreconcilable differences.  When the band welcomed Danny to be a part of the ceremonies, he became very emotional.

Five of the seven original members were in attendance.  Rob Thomas and the band itself acknowledged guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath, who died of a gun accident in 1978.  Kath’s daughter Michelle was on stage with the guys, another classy move.  The other band member conspicuous by his absence was former high-pitched lead singer, Peter Cetera.  Band differences kept him from attending, another heart breaking moment of the evening.

It was nice to hear sax player Walt Parazaider thank veteran Chicago disc jockey Dick Biondi, and also credited Doc Severinson, the former “Tonight Show” band leader for helping to keep the band together after Kath’s tragic death.  Jimmy Pankow thanked the Hall for “Welcoming them into their home”, and Lee Loughnane thanked his three ex-wives for “Making it necessary for him to keep working!”

All the guys got to say a few words, but when Danny took the mic, he was not short on emotion, or on expletives, for that matter.  “I’ve been waiting twenty-five years to play with my band,” said a choked-up Seraphine.  After a long acceptance speech, the monitors started saying “wrap it up”.  Danny hoisted the trophy above his head and proclaimed, “Screw you, I have been waiting too long for this moment!’  (I THINK he said, “Screw you”.)  

I was so happy for him.  I knew how important this was for him, and I wouldn’t have missed being there for the world.  It was incredibly cool to be on “the inside” of that whole emotional rollercoaster.  The band then played “Saturday In The Park” “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is” and “25 or 6 to 4”.  It was magical as I ripped a vocal chord or two.

Certified southern rock star Kid Rock then took the stage to induct the boys from Rockford, Illinois, CHEAP TRICK.  He described the band as “A garage band with punk, soul, a pop heartbeat and Beatles ambitions.”  It was fabulous to see all four original members together, probably for the last time, as drummer Bun E. Carlos has been out of the band for a few years now, with legal battles coming in between him and his childhood friends.

Vocalist Robin Zander, another good friend of The Arcada, entered the stage in a white zoot-suit and big hat, and Tom Petersson did nothing but grin while speaking about his organization benefiting autism.  Guitarist Rick Nielsen, in his own animated fashion, presented Steve MILLER with a guitar shaped like a MILLER BEER logo.  “I’ve been waiting years to give this to you,” He said.

They commenced with the final set of the night, aptly so because their songs “I Want You To Want Me”, “Dream Police” and “Surrender” literally brought down the house.

David Lettermen Show alum Paul Shaffer led the finale, as he does almost annually.  All the inductees, except N.W.A. (never really found out why they didn’t perform at all) came back on stage for the final number. As happy of an occasion the ceremonies were for all in attendance, I thought it was ironic that the finale was Trick’s hit, “Ain’t That A Shame”.  Maybe it was a subtle message regarding the absence of band members that should have been there, founding members who had passed away, and inductees less than enchanted with the honor.

-- Ron Onesti

President / CEO of The Onesti Entertainment Corporation

Read Ron's past columns in The Daily Herald here ...

http://www.dailyherald.com/topics/Ron-Onesti/

 

 

The Friday Flash

April 15, 2016, 3:53 am

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The Mamas and the Papas 
I enjoyed reading the Mamas and Papas story again this morning. 
Jim Hendricks, an original member of The Big Three and The Mugwumps, lives nearby and we always talk about him when we pass his house on Cages Bend Road. He wrote "Summer Rain" for Johnny Rivers, and also "Long, Lonesome Highway" for Michael Parks. It's no surprise that Johnny Rivers was an original investor in The Monterey International Pop Festival, considering his close friendship with John Phillips and gang. 
David Lewis   

Hi Kent -

Greatreading your "Revisited Mamas and the Papas" again!!

They were in my Top Ten of favorite groups. Too bad they only lasted a couple of years.

By the way, how did they get their name? I think that was part of their success.

When in doubt, ask the master!

Carolyn

As is usually the case, the road to becoming The Mamas and the Papas made several stops (and pairings) along the way.

John Phillips first scored success with The Journeymen, which also included Scott McKenzie who would record John's "Summer of Love" / Flower Power anthem "San Francisco".  Although primarily a trio (the missing third was Dick Weissmann), his second wife Michelle would also sing with the group from time to time.  Meanwhile Mama Cass was singing with a group called The Big Three while Denny Doherty was one of The Halifax Three.  All of these groups worked in the early-to-mid '60', playing the folk rock circuit, a very popular musical trend at that time.

Denny and Cass first met when they both joined The Mugwumps, a group that also included John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky, who would go on to form The Lovin' Spoonful.  (Again, listen closely to the lyrics of The Mamas and the Papas' big autobiographical hit "Creeque Alley" and you'll hear this whole thing play out in about three minutes!  lol)

After leaving The Mugwumps, Denny teamed with John and Michelle to perform as The New Journeymen, more so to fulfill contractual obligations after the original group had already split up.  In 1965, they maxed out their American Express Card (also part of the "Creeque Alley" lyric) and took off for the Virgin Islands to work on new material.  It was around this time that John Phillips discovered The Beatles (thanks to some prodding by Denny who, after playing him a Beatles album, told John "Write songs like this."

Cass Elliott (who had a longtime crush on Denny) joined the trio and fought for a spot in the group ... but John was reluctant to let her in because she went "against type" and the image he was shooting for.  There was no denying the magical blend of their voices, however ... in fact an early incarnation of John, Michelle, Cass and Denny was called "The Magic Circle" and, after their first recording session for Dunhill, they toyed around with the idea of keeping that name for their first record release.

After working up some new tunes in The Virgin Islands (including "California Dreamin'", "Go Where You Wanna Go" and "Monday Monday") they relocated to Los Angeles to try and make it in the heart of the music scene.  (Their friends The Byrds and The Lovin' Spoonful were now hitting the charts and they felt that THEY should be able to do so, too.)  In the end, it was the blend of their unique voices (and the fact that this "sound" was created by two guys and two girls) that prompted them to rename themselves "The Mamas and the Papas" ... and the rest, as they say, was history.  (It has also been suggested that the inspiration came from The Hell's Angels, the infamous bikers group who referred to their ladies as their "mamas" ... and there just may be a fair amount of truth to that!)  Their first release (and most of the early promotional material put out to announce the band) listed them as The Mama's and the Papa's ... but the apostrophes were soon deleted and they remained The Mamas and the Papas from that point forward. 

John Phillips not only wrote all their big hits but The Mamas and the Papas were also very successful covering (and rearranging) several other pop tunes like The Beatles'"I Call Your Name", the Motown Hit "Dancing In The Street", The Shirelles' hit "Dedicated To The One I Love", a very slowed-down version of "Do You Wanna Dance" and several others like "My Girl" and "You Baby".

When all was said and done, the whole wild ride lasted just over two years ... yet their music lives on forever.  (kk)

Have any stock copies of Go Where You Wanna Go ever turned up? I've only ever heard of promotional copies being issued, along with a picture sleeve, and both of those sell for hundreds of dollars because so few of them exist.  If you want to have a great collection by the group featuring all of their original single mixes as well as the ABC solo sides by the group members, all in their original single mixes, I highly recommend this collection from Real Gone Music:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0176TW0AK

They really outdid themselves with this one.

-- Tom Diehl

Despite owning their complete collection through various means and compilations, I went out and bought "The Complete Singles Collection" anyway, just to have all of the singles, in their original mono mixes, in one place.  (Dunhill notoriously issued single edits, in some cases drastically different versions and mixes, all the time.  It was infuriating to hear the song on the radio, commit it to memory and then pick up the album and have it sound completely different that what had been etched in your mind, whether it was a change in the orchestral backing or even something as subtle as the line "becoming a reality" being edited out of "Creeque Alley" at the end.)

I don't know if "stock" copies of "Go Where You Wanna Go" existed ... there seems to be a lot of debate on this issue.  Even finding a rare promo copy is virtually impossible.  The catalog numbers for this single and "California Dreamin'" were only two digits apart ... 4018 to 4020 ... so it wasn't out on the market for very long.  It very well may have been sent to radio stations only to see if they could get a buzz going on this brand new group.  It failed but the follow-up piece was SO drastically different, it demanded your full attention the very first time it came on.  (Here in Chicago "California Dreamin'" was ranked as the #1 Single of 1966 on WCFL, topping their chart for four weeks ... as well as spending another three weeks at #2!)  Meanwhile "Go Where You Wanna Go" became the first big hit for The Fifth Dimension a year later ... yet, despite this fact, today you are FAR more likely to hear The Mamas and the Papas' version (if it's played on the radio at all.)  kk

Hey Kent, 

Thanks for all the interesting info on the Mamas and the Papas in Wednesday's FH, and for putting to rest what I always suspected about "I Saw Her Again".

When I heard the song for the very first time, I just knew Denny came in early with "I saw her ... " and the strings basically covered the mistake. I did like the finished product, though.

Another song I'm thinking turned out the same way is Kenny Loggins'"I'm Alright". Just past two minutes into the song, he sings, "I'm ... I'm alright". I like the way it ended up, too, but what do YOU think?
- John LaPuzza 

https://youtu.be/1rmPckNvD3E

Wouldn't surprise me at all to find out that that was a mistake ... then again, maybe he was just trying to recreate the effect of The Mamas and the Papas record!  Either way, I agree ... a GREAT song and a GREAT break that sets up the next chorus.  ALWAYS one of my favorites!  (kk)

I saw The Mamas and the Papas at the Palomino in 1988 with Scott McKenzie replacing Denny Doherty, Spanky McFarlane replacing Mama Cass and MacKenzie Phillips replacing Michelle. It was a very good show, including Scott's big hit and a couple of Spanky's. Michelle joined them on the closing song. 
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem
I got to see them twice in the latter stages of their career.  For the first show (an outdoor Italian Festival type deal held in the parking lot of a shopping center!) the group featured Scott McKenzie (subbing for John Phillips), Denny Doherty (who still sounded great), Spanky McFarlane (covering for Mama Cass) and an unknown fourth who sang Michelle's old background harmonies.
The second show was WAY classier, held at The Drury Lane Theater in Oak Brook, featured John Phillips back on guitar and vocals (he did a "new" solo number that night that I have been searching for for over thirty years ... I don't think it was ever officially released but he was in GREAT voice that night and this song obviously had a big impact on me), Denny Doherty, Spanky McFarlane and MacKenzie Phillips ... pretty much a killer line-up for what was probably the early '80's.  I've never seen Michelle or Cass ... SO hard to believe that Michelle is the only one left.  I can still listen to ALL of their music to this day and never get tired of it ... certainly among my all-time favorites, too.  (kk)

Although I put a lot of research into the 1997 3 CD box set THE MAMAS & THE PAPAS: THEIR GREATEST HITS AND FINEST PERFORMANCES, your piece in Forgotten Hits included details even I did not know.  
I remember attending Cass' funeral, seeing John and Michelle exit the church wrapped in each others arms and hearing one Mama Cass hit after another featured on L.A.'s Top 40 radio stations.  It's sad that those very stations -- which played "Make Your Own Kind of Music,""It's Getting Better,""New World Coming" and "Dream a  Little Dream of Me" so many times -- wouldn't even consider airing one of those tracks today -- despite the fact that they sound better than anything they are running currently.  
My 3 CD box set, which is now out of print (even though copies turn up on eBay and amazon from time to time), included not just all the hits but virtually everything the group recorded for Dunhill -- which wasn't really all that much.  I reserved the third CD for the quartet's solo work, leaning heavily on Cass' output as she was the most prolific and successful of the group members as a soloist.  
Michelle was a problem on that solo disc as her solo A&M singles weren't all that great.  I represented Michelle then with some of her rare lead vocals with the group.  That disc allowed me to reissue John's terrific "Mississippi" but I was hard pressed to find anything else on his solo "Wolf King of L.A." album even one tenth as good. It appears that, except for "Mississippi," John was simply too strung out during the production of that LP to even approach his former level of creative quality.  I wound up including "Pacific Coast Highway" as John's other solo track as it was the best of his other solo album cuts.  
One would have thought that Denny, as the Mamas & Papas' usual lead singer, could have gone on to great solo success, but he didn't.  I represented Denny's solo work with two obscure cuts from his equally obscure solo album.   It's really Cass who shines on that third disc with not only all her solo hits but her best solo LP tracks, some of which were tunes made famous by other artists ("Easy Come, Easy Go," etc.)  
Your Forgotten Hits piece mentions The Mamas & Papas' only live release: their Monterey Pop Festival performance, which was, indeed, a huge disappointment.  Rather than include any of that, I licensed a sampling of soundtrack clips from the group's "Ed Sullivan Show" appearances.  Now THOSE were very good!  
Gary Theroux

Wow, thanks, Gary ... coming from you that means a lot.  Denny did some solo work under the production of FH Member John Madara after the group split but you're right, he never really made much of an impact on his own.
Cass' solo hits were great ... thanks to Me-TV-FM, we get to hear quite a few of them again.  (My personal favorites will always be "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" and "Make Your Own Kind Of Music".  I don't know if you watched that show "Lost" but the first time we ever saw the inside of the infamous hatch we caught Desmond playing Cass'"Make Your Own Kind Of Music" and I will ALWAYS associate that song with that scene from that day forward.
I've searched high and low for both the John Phillips song I heard at the concert mentioned above as well as Michelle's versions of "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and "Me And Bobby McGee."  We'll never know just how big of a solo career she might have had, had she been able to release these tracks as singles ... especially since today she is pretty much perceived as just "beautiful, meek-voiced Michelle", making little in the way of a contribution to the group's overall sound.  (With voices as powerful as Cass' and Denny's, it had to be hard to compete ... and with Papa John writing all the hits, Michelle seemed to be the only one who didn't fill a necessary niche ... other than "just stand there and look beautiful"!!!  (kk)

Jan and Dean  
Thanks for posting that link to my book.  Here's a better link, where the price seems to be more reasonable, if you want to substitute it:  http://www.amazon.com/When-Get-Surf-City-Friendship/dp/031237691X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Thank you for honoring Jan.  We who knew and traveled with him think about him all the time.

Bob Greene   

>>>For any who never heard the original version of Jan & Dean’s “Popsicle”, it was by The Todds on the Todd label from 1962. It may be on you tube.   (Ken)

>>>Not sure if this is it or not because in one place it's identified as "The Todds" and in another as "Gene and the Pearls"!   (kk)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOYGDQ5dH-s

Not only did The Todds record Popsicle first (and your youtube link IS the correct version, by the way), the group also recorded the song Tennessee first. Tennessee would become Jan and Dean's second single for Liberty. Both tracks were written by Buzz Cason and Bobby Russell, who were members of The Todds along with Bergen White. 

Tom Diehl

Sound like Jan and Dean were doing a fair amount of listening to The Todds themselves!!! (lol)  kk

I couldn't help but wonder ... is this the same Bobby Russell as the FAMOUS Bobby Russell?  (Honey, 1432 Franklin Pike Circle Hero, married to Vicki Lawrence Bobby Russell???)

Yessir. He and Buzz Cason and Bergen White worked together a lot over the years. Tomorrow I'll try to remember to send you some other tracks Bobby and Bergen did together.  You should try to contact Bergen for comments too ... I know he is fairly active on Facebook. Buzz Cason could probably be reached for comment as well.  Check out these 34 pages of records Bergen worked on, and tell me info on some of these wouldn't make for a good interview.
Tom
http://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=Bergen+white&sm=re
 

I did a show with Jan and Dean back around 1980. It was weird, because Jan was almost a total vegetable backstage, but once he got onstage, he automatically went right into his act and sounded great. Then, when they finished and he came backstage, he was totally out of it again.

Dean Milano

I get the feeling that he was almost "programmed" to perform because they knew there was a limited window of opportunity for him to be focused on the task at hand.  The fact that this material was so familiar to him probably helped. 

If you haven't read Bob Greene's book "When We Get To Surf City", do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.  A GREAT read and a VERY touching account of the whole Jan and Dean "comeback" scene.  (Hey, use the discounted link provided by Bob himself above!)  kk

In 1996 we played an event for the Rancho Los Amigos rehab facility and Jan Berry was there.

He had apparently been getting regular therapy there.
Gary E. Myers / MusicGem

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

Lots of Chicago talent last night:  Cheap Trick, Chicago, Steve Miller.  Kudos to the city of music!

Clark Besch

 

Great Hall of Fame review by Ron Onesti - I saw Danny's acceptance speech on your site the following day and you could tell he was truly touched to have been included - and misses his former bandmates.

Maria

Danny's speech was especially emotional, sincere and heartfelt ... it shows just how blessed he truly feels to have had the career he's had ... how sad that somebody like Peter Cetera doesn't seem to appreciate any of it ... this is the connection that got him where he is today ... and has allowed him to spend his entire career entertaining the world with his incredible music.  Set it aside for a night, dude ... and enjoy and celebrate the magic.  (kk)

 

Hey Kent, 

First of all, I agree with 100% of what you say about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame selection process. I read Ron Onesti's review of the induction ceremony, and it sounded like a good time for all, especially when Danny Saraphine got to rejoin Chicago. I've always been hoping that water could flow under the bridge and that somehow he could get back in the band.  

I was a jazz drummer most of my teenage years and early twenties, so rock bands with horn sections were very appealing to me. There were several out there that put a dent in pop music. The ones that come to mind are Chase, Tower of Power, Ides of March, Dreams, and Lighthouse, but there were only two that achieved super stardom, namely, Chicago and Blood, Sweat, & Tears. Now that Chicago has made it into the Hall, I sincerely hope that SOMEDAY, B,S&T will be considered for the honor. 

- John LaPuzza

I agree that both of these groups belong in The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ... but cannot help but wonder (due to the way the organization continues to "pick and choose" which members are actually being inducted) that if it ever comes to this, if founding member (and the guy who came up with the whole horn-rock concept in the first place) Al Kooper will be included.  He was famously fired from his own band after the release of their first album.  The group then inserted lead vocalist David Clayton Thomas and that's what turned on the hit-making machine.  We've talked to Al about this several times before in Forgotten Hits ... and, while he feels he'd most likely be excluded (in much the same way that he's never mentioned in conjunction with discovering and first producing Lynyrd Skynyrd all these years later) he should, at the VERY least, be inducted for all his "sideman" duties over the years.  ("Like A Rolling Stone" anyone???)  kk

 

The Buckinghams

I really appreciate your help.  ForgottenHits60s ... a fantastic blog!
Bill Hofstetter
Nashville, TN

 

Kent -

Saw The Buckinhams videos on your site! We have all those videos on my FB page: "Facebook.com/Dennistufanosings”

Would you pass this on to your readers?

Hope to see you May 1st in Skokie for the Cornerstones of Rock Show!!!! It would be great to see you man! Be well.

Best to you and Frannie :)

PS I still can’t find The Dating Game and The Midnight Special with Tufano and Giammarese!

Dennis

Well, let's put the word out on those two ... maybe some of the readers can help.

Hoping to make the Skokie show ... plus I've never been to this venue.  Hope to see you and all the guys there!  (kk)

 

By the way, DJ Rockin' John and Forgotten Hits Reader Joanie Baker will be interviewing Dennis Tufano this Saturday night at 6 pm Chicago time ... here's  "Listen Live" link.  The show will also be archived for those (like me) who won't be around to hear it the first time it airs.  (kk)

Click http://wort-fm.org/listen-live/ on Saturday, 6 pm CDT.
 

 

This And That

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KryO3-XnCq4&nohtml5=False
Kent ...

Frankie Valli meets Bob Dylan.
When I bought this 45, you had to connect the dots on the record sleeve ... if you couldn't figure out who was singing.
Frank B.

 

 

Yeah, and in all my years of record collecting and mail order record sales it was virtually IMPOSSIBLE to find a clean one that hadn't been written on or "connected"!  (lol)  kk

 

Monkee MICKY DOLENZ was interviewed last week at Sirius / XM by Bruce Morrow. Dolenz talked about the new Monkees album, "Good Times", out in June on Rhino and their 50th Anniversary tour beginning next month.

 

I got an announcement from Amazon earlier this week that the new Monkees LP has been moved up in the schedule ... so I'm guessing all issues have now been resolved regarding the track line-up.  Sounds like a really fun LP.  (kk)

 

>>>Speaking of commercials which run in the background songs from days gone by, last night here on television I saw one for the first time. Can't remember the  product or whether it was a local or national commercial, but the song in the background was WORRIED MAN but it wasn't the Kingston Trio singing it.  (Larry)

Kent,

Larry might be referring to this Pitney Bowes spot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X8ScSNsQV4&feature=youtu.be

– Randy Price

 

It sounds like the long-running court dispute over copyright infringement on the Led Zeppelin classic "Stairway To Heaven" is back on again.  (We've run several clips in the past showing the Spirit tune written by Randy California that sounds suspiciously similar to the FM Classic Rock staple.) 

Led Zeppelin has been found guilty a few times in the past of putting their name on material that they "borrowed" from other artists, most notably blues artists and tracks like "Whole Lotta Love".  I guess they've just made so much money off this music that a little kick-back after all these years seems somewhat insignificant ... but it's still wrong!  (kk)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/04/12/led-zeppelin-members-face-trial-in-stairway-to-heaven-copyright-infringement-lawsuit/

 

Record Store Day

 

Looks familiar ... but what are those things on the bottom shelf???

Bill Hengels

 

submitted by Stu Weiss

Record Store Day is tomorrow

 

This Weekend In Forgotten Hits

Also tomorrow is our latest SWEET 16 FEATURE ... don't miss it!  (This is another "traveling weekend" for us so I'll try to send a reminder out before we leave ... and there will be no Sunday Comments this week. Be sure to check out our brand new SWEET 16 ... a fun little feature called WHAT'S THE NAME OF THAT SONG???)

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SWEET 16 - What's The Name Of That Song???

April 16, 2016, 4:00 am

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I can't even imagine how many people must have walked into their favorite record store back in the day, trying to buy that hot new record they heard on the radio, "I Love The Flower Girl" only to be disappointed because they couldn't find the record on the shelf.

Or how about "They'll Stone You"?  "Don't You Worry 'Bout Me"?  "Feelin' Groovy"?  Or that timeless hit "Stop Children What's That Sound?"  Almost a reverse psychology I guess with some of these ... how to get people NOT to buy your record ... simply by confusing the hell out of them!

Today, as part of our latest SWEET 16 feature, Forgotten Hits salutes those GREAT songs that confused the heck out of the record buying public because the TITLE of the song never appears anywhere in the lyrics!!!

The Monday Comments

April 18, 2016, 3:30 am

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re:  More Praise For The Mamas and the Papas:  
Just finished reading your exhaustive - and, truly informative special - on The Mama And The Papas.  
Always one of my emotional favorites ... loved reading it. Whenever I hear "California Dreamin'" on the radio, boy does it take me back.  
Clearly a classic; the production and recording values on that record standout for sure. One of my Top 5 ever! Certainly timeless ... it sounds as good today as back then. Thanks -  
David   

Hey, Kent -  
How come we all said "Papa John" and "Mama Cass" but nobody ever said "Papa Denny" or "Mama Michelle"?? 
Just throwing it out there ...  
- Larry Cave  
50yearsagoonthehot100.blogspot.com   

Hi Kent -  
THANK YOU for all the information about The Mamas and the Papas.  
I just thought that  their name was perfect for them. Like you said their music will live on forever. And that John Phillips was a great arranger. I think Michele mentioned this a few times over the years.  He could take "any song and make it sound great!"   
I enjoy them on my Juke Box and Bose ...  
Carolyn   

Back in 1986 or early '87 our group, the Showvinistics, opened for the John and Mackenzie Phillips, Denny Doherty and Spanky McFarland version of "The Mamas and the Papas." This was at a place called Red Creek, where we did our own shows but often opened for famous groups brought in by the owner, such as the Neville Brothers, Big Joe Turner, The Persuasions and Gary "U.S." Bonds -- very eclectic, for sure.  
I had the opportunity to sit and talk music for about a half an hour with all four members of the Mamas and Papas, especially Denny and Spanky. John would contribute occasionally but it is Mackenzie that was most memorable on this occasion. She would interject something about every three minutes -- in a giggling type of gibberish! Everyone seemed to either ignore these outbursts or understood them. I never understood one word. Even when she said goodbye (I think) I was clueless as to what she said, but it was with a giggle and a smile!  
Lots of good information from the others though, who were very friendly and loved talking music.  
Danny Guilfoyle   

"If you can believe your eyes and your ears," Riley and Weber discussing if Cobra or Winky are members of the Mamas & Papas like Kent says they are.  
Clark Besch

Great conversation about the Mamas & Papas ... I don't know how you keep track of all this stuff.  
Cheers,  
CharlieOFD    

re:  What's The Name Of That Song?:  
Good selection ... many others even ...  
Unchained Melody  
Superstar by the Carpenters  
Mark the Shark   

You left out the most obvious one of all ...

Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers

Tom

The toughest part of doing a SWEET 16 is you are truly limited in your selections ... there can only be 16 tracks ... but you're right, "Unchained Melody" probably should have been included.  (Also not making the final list were "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin, "Hocus Pocus" by Focus, "The Ballad Of John And Yoko" by The Beatles, "Baba O'Reily" by The Who, "The Ballad Of The Green Beret" by S/Sgt Barry Sadler, "Space Oddity" by David Bowie, "The Lord's Prayer" by Sister Janet Mead, "Fingertips" by Stevie Wonder, "Train In Vain" by The Clash, "The Great Airplane Strike, 1966" by Paul Revere and the Raiders, "Danny's Song" by Anne Murray, "Land of 1000 Dances" by Cannibal and the Headhunters, "Sunshine Superman" by Donovan and about two dozen more.

I'm telling you, this is a GREAT radio special for somebody ... you could easily put together a three hour program featuring songs like these ... and I'll bet our readers could come up with several more.  (kk)

[I was going to run a copy of "Unchained Melody" here ... but what's the point?  Turn on ANY oldies radio station in America and you'll hear it within the hour anyway!!!]  kk 

Hi Kent -

Don't forget The Jive Five and their tune "My True Story"!!

By the way, how high did it get Billboard? When in doubt, ask the Master.

Carolyn

"My True Story" reached #3 in Billboard in 1961.  Here in Chicago it only climbed as high as #18 on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey.  (kk)   

How could you leave out the one that doesn't even use the title in the song??   
"Let Her Cry For She's a Lady" ... which in reality was "Wildfower" by Skylark, which had David Foster playing keyboards.  (See David's pregnant wife singing back-up below.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9bJJNUdXEs
Greg Campbell

Like "Sunshine Superman", the title is never actually uttered ... but at least its implied ... a key line repeated throughout the song is "She's a free and gentle flower growing wild."  Still, it absolutely qualifies!

Let's continue to build this list.  Memo to Phil Nee (or Scott Shannon if he's interested) ... wanna put together a three hour special?  Heck, Scott could even do this as a specially-themed "America's Greatest Hits" feature!  (kk)

Hola Kent,  
You struck a nerve with that subject.  Perhaps the most notorious song in that category is 'Unchained Melody' sung by many but most notably by the Righteous Brothers. Many a music lover was stumped to 'Name That Tune' when the song was played.

My favorite song search occurred in 1988.  I was a 3rd shifter and awoke on the couch with "I Want To Know What Love Is" on the TV as part of the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary Concert. I loved the song but being groggy all I could remember was seeing Phil Collins on stage, a lot of smoke in the air, and that 'rhapsody' playing on the television. I had to have that song.

I was married with two kids by then and not as into the music scene ... all I could remember was Collins and the song. I asked a few younger people and they told me Collins was in Genesis, a band unknown to me.  I was in a mall and a muzak version of the song was playing so I approached a young girl (I would be arrested today for doing that) and inquired what the name of the song was being played.  She was a little confused at my request but told me that it was Foreigner. So thought that the name of the song was Foreigner, sung by Phil Collins and Genesis.

I went to my local music shop and asked for the song from the clerk, who straightened me out by telling me Foreigner was the name of the group and sold me a CD with the song on it. I was feeling out of the loop ... I was now a 'family man' and all my music was from before I was married, but that song re-awoke my enjoyment of music and led me to come to appreciate groups who came along after the early 70's.  I know it is only important to me but I just wanted to share it with the readers who may have had similar re-awakenings after getting married.

Cheers,

CharlieOFD 

One that drove me crazy came a few years later (1996 to be exact).

I kept hearing the song "Don't Speak" by No Doubt and just HAD to have it.  I must have visited a dozen record stores trying to find that single but it was nowhere to be found.  Turns out it hadn't been released as a single ... and, in checking Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Records" book right now, I see that it was the first album cut to every hit #1 on the Billboard Chart.  (In fact, it stayed there for 16 WEEKS ... and charted for an incredible 63 ... that's a year plus!)

I did eventually find the track on a CD Promotional Single ... and ended up buying the album as well.  Again, not a "what's the name of that song" experience ... but more of a "how the hell do I get this record?!?!?" experience.  Thanks, Charlie!  (kk)

re:  This And That:  
From FH Reader Tom Cuddy ...    

THE TEMPOS:Vocalist Mike Daye Has Died 
Mike Daye, who sang lead on The Tempos' original version of "See You in September," died on Tuesday. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he was 83. He was born Michael Lazo and used Daye as his stage name.   
The 1959 recording enjoyed a second life on the American Graffiti soundtrack.   
Bob Miranda, whose group The Happenings revived and rocked up the song in the summer of '66, tells us, "Those guys were an influence. I don't know if we would have picked up that song if we hadn't heard [their] version."
 
And check this out ...  

We've seen this talked about in a few places now ... but FH Reader Tom Cuddy was the first to send it in ...    

Word of what will be one of the biggest classic rock concerts in history has leaked as the L.A. Times is reporting that Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Roger Waters and Neil Young will join forces for a three-day festival at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California on October 7th, 8th and 9th. That's the site of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which gets under way today (Friday).   
If all goes according to plan it will be Dylan and the Stones onthe 7th, Macca and Young on the 8th, and The Who and Waters on the 9th. This will be the first time since 2012's Concert for Sandy Relief - 12-12-12 - that McCartney, The Stones, Waters and The Who will all have been on the same bill, albeit different nights.  
Though nothing is 100-percent firmed up, Young's manager, Elliot Roberts, tells the L.A. Times, "It’s so special in so many ways because you won’t get a chance to see a bill like this, perhaps ever again. It’s a show I look forward to more than any show in a long time.”   
The official announcement is expected in early May.   

In your Record Store Day section, the picture of the stereo system brought back memories of working in the electronics dept of Monkey Wards (membuh' them?) in 1986 for Christmas $ for my kids.  We sold a similar unit, and I think I sent at least one of them out of the store.  I wanted one so badly, but couldn't wedge it into the budget.  Imagine my delight when we got MP3 players & digital music!  Count me out as someone who longs for vinyl ... I'm thrilled with the many ways we can obtain and store music now.   
Patti  
And music today is certainly a lot easier to carry around, too!  (lol)  I replaced most of what I could with cd and digital versions on my music ... just so much cleaner sounding (although some will argue that this is one of its biggest drawbacks ... it's just too "processed" of a sound.)  I don't mind ... I LOVE this music ... and want to hear it in its cleanest form.  (kk)  
[BTW, I'm sure I'll get a TON of mail about THAT comment!!!]

The Fest For Beatles Fans, 2016, was an incredible two-day experience of learning (for me) and enjoyment. 

Peter Asher, Chad and Jeremy put on an amazing production. Billy J Kramer and Mike Pender together, and separately.  Mark Hudson in technicolor extremism. Steve Holley from Wings, Gary and Adam from Elephants' Memory. Music, artwork, photography, memories! So much in so little time.

Shelley

Yes, quite an incredible line-up indeed ... I'm hoping most of these artists will make it to the Chicago show this summer!  (REALLY looking forward to seeing Peter Asher performing with Chad and Jeremy ... we caught Peter and Gordon several years ago at one of these and it was absolutely outstanding!)  kk

http://www.thefest.com/2016-fests/chicago-august-12-13-14-2016/   

 

Thank you ... and congratulations to Lou Christie ... who is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of "Lightnin' Strikes" topping the charts and selling a million copies in 1966. (In fact, he's had some commemorative coasters made!  Check out this photo!)

Jim Peterik: The Songs

April 19, 2016, 3:55 am

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(photo by Tom Apathy)

Jim Peterik has a brand new release that's about ready to drop ...

It features a re-imagining of some of the many songs he's made famous over the years ... including brand new takes on tracks like The Ides Of March's "Vehicle" and the Survivor hits "Eye Of The Tiger" and "High On You" ... as well as his version of The Beach Boys' big reunion hit "That's Why God Made The Radio", a song he cowrote with Brian Wilson, and "Heavy Metal", a collaboration done with Night Ranger's Kelly Keagy.  You'll also find a couple of brand new tracks recording especially for this CD. 

What gives all of this an especially interesting spin is the fact that he's taking a bluegrass / Americana approach with these songs first recorded as traditional rockers.  That means a backing band that includes fiddles and mandolin ... as well as his son Colin, a Chicago-based indie-rocker who just released his debut EP. 

Jim will debut this new sound at Chicago's City Winery on May 4th.  
Tickets are available here: http://www.citywinery.com/chicago/tickets/jim-peterik-5-4.html  

And, he sent Forgotten Hits an EXCLUSIVE "first listen" to a couple of "Sneak Peek" snippets ... including his versions of the big .38 Special Hit "Caught Up In You" as well as his take on The Beach Boys' hit "That's Why God Made The Radio" ...

The brand new CD can be ordered now through his website:  http://jimpeterik.com/ ... it'll start shipping in about three weeks (but once again Forgotten Hits has EXCLUSIVE Sneak Peeks to share with our readers.)

And, speaking of our readers,you can enter now to WIN a copy of the new CD by dropping us an email with the words THE SONGS in the subject line. 

WTG, Jimbo ... always rockin' ... and always growing!  (kk) 

COMPLETE TRACK LIST:  

Vehicle (with Colin Peterik and Johnny A)

Is This Love

Eye of the Tiger. (With Tim O'Brian)

Caught Up In You

LA Goodbye

Hold On Loosely

That's Why God Made The Radio 

High On You

I Can't Hold Back

Heavy metal (with Kelly Keagy)

The Search is Over

Bonus tracks (new)

Miracle at Ground Zero

The Same Muse

Produced by Fred Mollin

Engineered by Larry Millas

Also available:
http://www.amazon.com/Through-Eye-Tiger-Survivors-Founding/dp/1940363160/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1461026552&sr=1-1&keywords=jim+peterik

http://www.amazon.com/Ides-March-Last-Band-Standing/dp/B00TPEG1UA/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1461026613&sr=1-2&keywords=ides+of+march 

A Few Of Your Mid-Week Comments

April 20, 2016, 4:00 am

≫ Next: Good Night, Sweet Prince (His Nearly 40 Year Purple Reign Is Over)

≪ Previous: Jim Peterik: The Songs

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Last Chance!  
Tomorrow is your last chance to enter to win a brand new CD from Eric Records ...

Simply visit the Epic Records website ... http://ericrecords.com/ ...

And tell us which three CD's you'd be most likely to order.

This will enter your name in our drawing to win a copy of either "Hard To Find Jukebox Classics, 1960 - 1964" or "Three Decades Of Classic Novelty Hits".

And, if you actually PURCHASE three CD's from the website, you'll not only be entered to win a copy of BOTH of these great new CD releases but you'll ALSO get your choice of a free promotional CD right there on the site.

But the deadline is TOMORROW so you've got to have your entry in by then.  Winners will be selected and announced next week.  (kk)

Jim Peterik:  The Songs

I would love to win a copy of Jim's new CD. I have been a fan since the 60's. If only one person could be chosen to represent the rock music of our town, it should be Jim Peterik ... he is simply the best of the best rock music to come out of the city of Chicago.
Mr. Joseph Malin
Math Lab Director
Loyola Academy

Be sure to enter for YOUR chance to win, too ... just drop me an email with the words Jim Peterik:  The Songs in the subject line and we'll throw your name into the proverbial Forgotten Hits Hat!  (kk)

What's The Name Of That Song?

I was surprised that one song that was NOT mentioned in the Sweet 16 and STILL not mentioned as of the Monday comments, as this is a song that has been discussed often over the years on Forgotten Favorites:  "Oh where or where can my baby be??", officially known as "Last Kiss". 

Tim Kubat

Sorry Tim, but that one doesn't qualify ...

Although "Where Or Where Can My Baby Be" may have been the more likely title, check out this verse ...

"I raised her head and when she smiled and said,

'Hold me darlin' for a little while.'

I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss,

I found the love that I knew I would miss."  (kk)

Hi Kent,   
I likethis subject ... you are spot on that it would be a fun feature for a radio show.  
Another song that I loved that had a title hidden in the lyrics was, 'Big Yellow Taxi' by Joni Mitchell. Interestingly a lovely song dealing with the very same subject as 'Big Yellow Taxi' was a little gem called 'Tar and Cement' by Verdelle Smith a few years before Joni. Prescient songs dealing with how 'progress' destroyed much of the natural beauty of our youth. 
Hard to find songs: 
'The Song of the Old Mill', a curious little tune that conveys images far beyond its lyrics and exposes the darker side of our imaginations was a tough find.  It was written by David Mamet and is played during the closing credits of the comedy "State and Main" sung by Patti LuPone a longtime Broadway Actress / Singer, and friend of Mamet's. There is a cover available on iTunes but the original can only be gotten by buying the Movie.

Good Job,

CharlieOFD

"Big Yellow Taxi" does, however, appear throughout the lyric so we can't count that one.  I did, however, come up with 98 tracks that do NOT feature the title in the lyrics yet would still be recognized by just about everybody today despite this fact ... so I'd have to say a radio special is imminent!  (kk)

Hi, Kent:  
Lotta fun reading about songs whose titles don't get sung. I see two separate categories: those songs which the writers decide to title cleverly or obliquely, if you will (59th St. Bridge Song, For What It's Worth, etc) and those which come from movies and the name merely reflects the title of that movie for lack of a better name (Unchained Melody). Maybe a third would be tribute types (Danny's Song). Anyhow, mixed and matched, here are a few: 
John Denver - Annie's Song  
James Taylor - Long Ago and Far Away (I have NO idea why he put "and Far Away" in the title.  Wildest guess is that he knows the old, old song Long Ago and Far Away from a Rita Hayworth movie)

and there are probably a whole bunch of movie themes so I'll give a quick sample with a couple of biggies and one older than the oldies. You and the folks could possibly name more, but I think those are the least interesting.

Theme From Shaft

Theme From New York New York

The Song From Moulin Rouge

Playing games with music is fun. Thanks.  
Hil  
Yeah, it's tough with the movie title themes ... One I had on the list was Dionne Warwick's "Theme from 'The Valley of the Dolls'" because it still works since the movie title is never mentioned in the lyrics either.  But then you can really get off track by including, say, "Theme from 'Mahogany'" which shows as "Do You Know Where You Wanna Go" in its parentheses title ... although you won't find the word "mahogany" anywhere in the lyrics.  Soon the list would go on forever!  (Instrumentals don't count either as the lyrics would NEVER be entered in an instrumental!!!)

We've got a couple of jocks on the list interested in putting together some type of radio special so we'll keep you posted on that as to when and where you can listen.  (kk)

This And That:  
>>>I kept hearing the song "Don't Speak" by No Doubt and just HAD to have it.  I must have visited a dozen record stores trying to find that single but it was nowhere to be found.  Turns out it hadn't been released as a single ... and, in checking Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Records" book right now, I see that it was the first album cut to ever hit #1 on the Billboard Chart.  (In fact, it stayed there for 16 WEEKS ... and charted for an incredible 63 ... that's a year plus!) kk 
You should qualify that comment by specifying that "Don't Speak" was #1 on the Billboard Airplay chart, not the Hot 100.   
– Randy Price  
OK, you just did!  (kk)

And, while we're on the subject of "Don't Speak", I just got this tidbit from FH Reader Tom Cuddy ...

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL: Not Speaking    

Simon was apparently angered by Garfunkel's insulting comments to a London paper last May.

Simon and Garfunkel aren't talking these days.

In an interview with Rolling Stone that focuses on his upcoming album and 2016 tour plans, Paul Simon was asked about playing Forest Hills Tennis Stadium -- which is in the neighborhood where he and Art Garfunkel grew up, and where they played several times. But pressed on whether he'd want to reunite with Garfunkel there -- or anywhere -- Simon bluntly said, "No, out of the question ... We don't even talk."

The last straw apparently was Garfunkel's May, 2015 interview with London's Telegraph, where he seemed to beg Simon for one final reunion. The plea was laced with venom. "How can you walk away from this lucky place on top of the world, Paul? What’s going on with you, you idiot? How could you let that go, jerk?" As if making that kind of verbal mess weren't bad enough, Art agreed with the reporter that Simon might have a "Napolean complex." He recalled that in their days as high school classmates, he felt sorry for Paul because of his height, and he offered love and friendship as a compensation. "And that compensation gesture has created a monster. End of interview." 

When we talked to Art last September, it was clear there was a disconnect, though his comments were more nuanced. We wondered if there might be some kind of event to mark this year's 50th anniversary of "The Sound of Silence" going number-one and turning the guys into stars.

I can hear Art Garfunkel saying those words in my head and I take it as more of an "egg him on" humor that both of these guys have always displayed whenever talk of them getting back together comes up ... not the "venom" this reporter refers to.  But perhaps Paul took it a bit more seriously this time.

When one considers how many times they've reunited since their early '70's breakup, the fans have been very fortunate indeed ... yet I've still never seen them.  (I've seen each separately but never together.)  I would love to have the chance to see one more round of shows ... but obviously that's THEIR decision and not ours.  Too bad, though ... because I think Art's right ... why not take another trip to the top of the world and grab all of the gold you can while you're there!!!  (kk)    

Wow!  Check out this Frank Sinatra Collection that Eagle Rock Entertainment is putting together!

EAGLE ROCK ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE

THE FRANK SINATRA COLLECTION

~May 27, 2016~

New York, NY (April 19, 2016) — Continuing the worldwide centennial celebration for legendary entertainer Frank Sinatra, on May 27, 2016, Eagle Rock Entertainment will release a suite of four titles in ‘The Frank Sinatra Collection’. On license from Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE), the definitive collection pulls together some of the finest performances on television and in concert from the greatest entertainer of the 20^th century.  

First in the series is ‘A Man And His Music’ / ‘A Man And His Music Part II’ [$9.98 MSRP] which combines his first two hour-long television specials from the mid-sixties.

Sinatra's first television special, A Man And His Music, broadcast in 1965 on NBC to commemorate Sinatra's 50th birthday. The spectacular performances include favorites "I've Got You Under My Skin,""I Get A Kick Out Of You,""Come Fly With Me" and "The Lady Is A Tramp."

A Man And His Music Part II, with special guest Nancy Sinatra (1966, CBS), thrills from start to finish, with unforgettable performances of signature songs such as "Luck Be A Lady" and "That's Life." Sinatra opens the show with his celebrated Quincy Jones arrangement of "Fly Me To The Moon." Nancy Sinatra, clad from head to toe in pink fringe (and signature boots), sings "Bang, Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" and "On Broadway," followed by a series of duets with her father that includes "Downtown," and "These Boots Are Made For Walking."  

Second in the series comes ‘A Man And His Music + Ella + Jobim’ / ‘Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing’ / ‘Sinatra’ [MSRP $9.98] which presents three TV specials from the sixties. On the truly memorable A Man And His Music + Ella + Jobim (1967, NBC), the dazzling Ella Fitzgerald performs two equally impressive solo numbers: the haunting "Body And Soul" and the swinging "It's All Right With Me." Fitzgerald is then joined by Sinatra in a historic pairing of the two preeminent vocal talents of the era. The following sequence, particularly treasured by music lovers, is Sinatra's only filmed meeting with Brazilian composer, guitarist, singer Antonio Carlos Jobim, who joins Sinatra for a stunningly intimate medley of the Brazilian composer's classics, including "Change Partners,""I Concentrate On You" and "The Girl From Ipanema." 

Francis Albert Sinatra Does His Thing (1968, CBS) was a memorable night of television on many levels. Having established himself in American households with his previous A Man And His Music specials, Sinatra made a bold move in 1968, in the middle of the civil rights era, with a special celebration of black music and its impact on American popular culture. Highlights include a medley of spirituals sung with Diahann Carroll and a swingin' pop interlude with chart-toppers The 5th Dimension.

In Sinatra (1969, CBS), the final installment in what had become an annual tradition of televised specials, Sinatra casts a backward glance at some of the highlights of a storied career. He also provides a glimpse into his musical future with an early rendition of "My Way," soon to become his personal anthem. 

This collection gathers many classic Sinatra performances including: “Ol’ Man River,” “The Lady Is A Tramp,” “Pennies From Heaven,” “Something,” “I Get A Kick Out Of You,” “Theme From New York, New York,” and many more.

The third release, ‘Sinatra And Friends’ / ‘The Man And His Music’ featuresTV specials from the seventies and eighties and offers the likes of“For Once In My Life,” ”My Way,” “Fly Me To The Moon,” “Hello Young Lovers,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Night And Day,” “Put Your Dreams Away,” and many more [MSRP $9.98].

Spanning multiple genres and featuring some of the leading names in pop and country, the rarely seen special Sinatra And Friends (1977, ABC) offers wall-to-wall performances. Guests include Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Loretta Lynn and John Denver, all of whom return one-by-one for a final embrace with Sinatra as he sings the Paul Anka-penned "Everybody Ought To Be In Love." 

Sinatra: The Man And His Music (1981, NBC), is the final installment of the series, occurring 16 years after the first A Man And His Music special, and a few weeks before his 66th birthday. Working with three different ensembles, including the accompaniment of the legendary Count Basie and his orchestra, performances include George Harrison's "Something," and his climactic "Theme From New York, New York", "Pennies From Heaven," and "The Best Is Yet To Come." 

Concert For The Americas (1982, Showtime) was recorded at the Altos de Chavón Amphitheater, a 5000-seat open-air Greek-style amphitheater in the Dominican Republic. This 90-minute epic performance features the legendary Buddy Rich on drums and a special guest appearance by guitarist Tony Mottola on a memorable rendition of "Send In The Clowns." This is the first-ever U.S. DVD release of this spectacular concert.

Packed with his incredible renditions of the songs that he made famous, ‘The Frank Sinatra Collection’ is a must for any Sinatra fan.

Click here to view “Come Fly With Me” from A Man And His Music - http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k2R07Mvlwajlj9gXYIg

FULL TRACKLISTING INFORMATION

A MAN AND HIS MUSIC / A MAN AND HIS MUSIC PART II

A MAN AND HIS MUSIC

1) I’ve Got You Under My Skin   2) Without A Song   3) Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me   4) I Get A Kick Out Of You   5) Nancy   6) My Kind Of Town   7) Medley: It Was A Very Good Year / Young At Heart / The Girl Next Door / Last Night When We Were Young   8) This Is All I Ask   9) Come Fly With Me   10) The Lady Is A Tramp   11) I’ve Got The World On A String   12) Witchcraft   13) You Make Me Feel So Young   14) Put Your Dreams Away

A MAN AND HIS MUSIC PART II with special guest NANCY SINATRA

1) Fly Me To The Moon   2) The Most Beautiful Girl In The World   3) Moonlight In Vermont   4) You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You   5) Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – NANCY SINATRA   6) On Broadway – NANCY SINATRA   7) Yes Sir, That’s My Baby – FRANK & NANCY SINATRA   8) Medley: Downtown / These Boots Are Made For Walking – FRANK & NANCY SINATRA   9) Medley: Just One Of Those Things / My Heart Stood Still / But Beautiful / When Your Lover Has Gone   10) Luck Be A Lady   11) That’s Life   12) Granada   13) My Kind Of Town   14) Put Your Dreams Away

A MAN AND HIS MUSIC + ELLA + JOBIM / FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA DOES HIS THING / SINATRA

A MAN AND HIS MUSIC + ELLA + JOBIM with special guests ELLA FITZGERALD and ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM

1) Day In, Day Out   2) Get Me To The Church On Time   3) What Now My Love   4) Ol’ Man River   5) Body And Soul – ELLA FITZGERALD   6) It’s All Right With Me – ELLA FITZGERALD   7) Medley: How High The Moon / Up, Up And Away / Look Out For Jimmy Valentine / Theme To Tony Rome / Goody Goody / Don’t Cry Joe / Ode To Billie Joe / Goin’ Out Of My Head – FRANK SINATRA & ELLA FITZGERALD   8) Medley: Change Partners / I Concentrate On You / The Girl From Ipanema – FRANK SINATRA & ANTONIO CARLOS JOBIM   9) Medley: The Song Is You / They Can’t Take That Away From Me / Stompin’ At The Savoy / At Long Last Love – FRANK SINATRA & ELLA FITZGERALD   10) Don’t Be That Way – ELLA FITZGERALD   11) The Lady Is A Tramp – FRANK SINATRA & ELLA FITZGERALD   12) Put Your Dreams Away

FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA DOES HIS THING with special guests DIAHANN CARROLL and THE 5^TH DIMENSION

1) Hello Young Lovers   2) Baubles, Bangles And Beads   3) Cycles   4) The Music That Makes Me Dance – DIAHANN CARROLL   5) Where Am I Going – DIAHANN CARROLL   6) Medley: Diane / Deep River / Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child / Lonesome Road / Nobody Know The Trouble I’ve Seen / Amen – FRANK SINATRA & DIAHANN CARROLL   7) Medley: Glad To Be Unhappy / Here’s That Rainy Day / It Never Entered My Mind / Gone With The Wind   8) It’s A Great Life – THE 5^TH DIMENSION   9) Stoned Soul Picnic – THE 5^TH DIMENSION   10) Sweet Blindness – FRANK SINATRA & THE 5^TH DIMENSION   11) Nice ‘N’ Easy   12) (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know   13) Lost In The Stars   14) Angel Eyes   15) Put Your Dreams Away

SINATRA featuring DON COSTA & HIS ORCHESTRA

1) For Once In My Life   2) Please Be Kind   3) My Way   4) Film Clip Medley including song highlights of: I Couldn’t Sleep A Wink Last Night / You’re Sensational / All The Way   5) The Tender Trap   6) Little Green Apples   7) Out Beyond The Window   8) A Man Alone   9) Didn’t We   10) Forget To Remember   11) Fly Me To The Moon   12) Street Of Dreams   13) Love’s Been Good To Me   14) Goin’ Out Of My Head   15) My Kind Of Town

SINATRA AND FRIENDS / THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC

SINATRA AND FRIENDS

1) Where Or When – with all guests   2) I’ve Got You Under My Skin   3) I Get A Kick Out Of You – FRANK SINATRA & NATALIE COLE   4) I’ve Got Love On My Mind – NATALIE COLE   5) If I Were A Rich Man – ROBERT MERRILL   6) The Oldest Established Floating Crap Game – FRANK SINATRA, DEAN MARTIN & ROBERT MERRILL   7) She’s Got You – LORETTA LYNN   8) All Or Nothing At All – FRANK SINATRA & LORETTA LYNN   9) One – TONY BENNETT   10) My Kind Of Town – FRANK SINATRA & TONY BENNETT   11) I Honestly Love You – LESLIE UGGAMS   12) The Lady Is A Tramp – FRANK SINATRA & LESLIE UGGAMS   13) My Sweet Lady – JOHN DENVER   14) September Song – FRANK SINATRA & JOHN DENVER   15) Night And Day   16) Everybody Ought To Be In Love   17) Put Your Dreams Away

THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC with the COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA

1) Intro / (This Is A) Lovely Way To Spend An Evening (instrumental)   2) Nice ‘N’ Easy   3) The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else   4) Pennies From Heaven   5) I Loved Her   6) The Girl From Ipanema (featuring TONY MOTTOLA on guitar)   7) At Long Last Love   8) Something   9) Monday Morning  Quarterback   10) The Best Is Yet To Come   11) (We Had A) Good Thing Going   12) Say Hello   13) I Get A Kick Out Of You   14) Theme From New York, New York   15) Thanks For The Memory

CONCERT FOR THE AMERICAS

1) I’ve Got The World On A String   2) I Get A Kick Out Of You   3) Come Rain Or Come Shine   4) When Your Lover Has Gone   5) The Lady Is A Tramp   6) The House I Live In   7) Prologue / Jet Song – BUDDY RICH   8) Searching   9) My Kind Of Town   10) Something   11) The Best Is Yet To Come   12) Strangers In The Night   13) All Or Nothing At All   14) The Gal That Got Away / It Never Entered My Mind   15) I’ve Got You Under My Skin   16) Send In The Clowns – with TONY MOTTOLA on guitar   17) Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (Corovado) – with TONY MOTTOLA on guitar   18) I Won’t Dance   19) Theme From New York, New York 

About Frank Sinatra

Throughout his nine-decade career, Frank Sinatra performed on more than 1,400 recordings and was awarded 31 gold, nine platinum, three double platinum and one triple platinum album by the Recording Industry Associated of America. He extends his record to 57 for the most top 40 albums on the Billboard 200 with this year’s new Ultimate Sinatra release. Sinatra has had Top 40 hits on the charts for eight decades, which is as long as the Billboard charts have existed. He received nine GRAMMY Awards over the course of his career, including three for the prestigious Album of the Year, and an Oscar. Sinatra demonstrated a remarkable ability to appeal to every generation and continues to do so; his artistry still influences many of today’s music superstars. He also appeared in more than 60 films and produced eight motion pictures.

Sinatra was awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards from The Recording Academy, The Screen Actors Guild and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), as well as the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Today, he remains a legend and an inspiration around the world for his contributions to culture and the arts. 

About Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE)

Frank Sinatra Enterprises is a joint venture between the Sinatra family and Warner Music Group. FSE owns Sinatra’s recordings from the Reprise era as well as a treasure trove of films, television specials and unreleased footage, photos and audio recordings, which collectively represent one of the foremost bodies of artistic work of the modern era.  FSE also owns and manages Sinatra’s name and likeness rights and represents the artist’s rights to the Columbia and Capitol catalogues.  FSE pursues innovative new product and venture opportunities with respect to the legendary entertainer’s name and likeness, as well as Sinatra’s audio and visual recordings. (www.sinatra.com)

Kent, 
Let me tell you ... IF YOU EVER GET THE CHANCE TO SEE A PRESENTATION (not strictly a concert) BY PETER ASHER, CHAD AND JEREMY ... RUN, DO NOT WALK TO GET TICKETS!

Shelley

Hoping to do exactly that at this year's Fest For Beatles Fans when it hits Chicago in August.  We were fortunate enough to see Peter and Gordon the last time we attended one of these (several years ago) and it was outstanding.  This is something I would NOT want to miss!  (kk)

The Animals should be on Eric Records.  Do you think Eric Burdon will sing "Spill The Wine" at The City Winery?

Frank B.

I'd say it's an absolute certainty!!! (kk)

By the way, you can catch Eric Burdon and the Animals at Chicago's City Winery on September 26th and September 28th ... more ticket information here:

http://www.citywinery.com/chicago/tickets.html

 

Good Night, Sweet Prince (His Nearly 40 Year Purple Reign Is Over)

April 22, 2016, 4:15 am

≫ Next: The Sunday Comments ( 04 - 24 - 16 )

≪ Previous: A Few Of Your Mid-Week Comments

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While I can't say that I was ever much of a fan, there is no denying the HUGE impact Prince had on the music world ... he charted nearly 60 times between 1978 and 2006 ... and that total includes 34 Top 40 Hits, 19 of which made The Top Ten, and nine that went all the way to #1.  He was also a seven-time Grammy winner ... and performed at the 2007 Super Bowl Half-Time Show.

Despite the fact that I couldn't really connect with a lot of Prince's music, I will admit that, like most of our recording heroes (with perhaps the possible exception of Barry White!), I could still find songs by Prince that I genuinely liked ... and will continue to listen to until I myself leave this world ... GREAT tracks like "Little Red Corvette", "Purple Rain", "Raspberry Beret", "1999"and "Kiss".

Exact circumstances surrounding his death are still very vague at this time ... but a full autopsy will be performed later today to see if the exact cause of death can be determined.  (Prince had missed a couple of shows, blaming it on the flu ... and even had to make an emergency landing here in Illinois for health reasons ... but performed the very next night and told his cheering fans who said that they had been praying for him to "wait a few days before you waste any prayers."  (Sounds to me like Prince knew that this was clearly MUCH more than the flu ... a statement like that would imply that perhaps Prince was going in for some type of tests or treatments in the very near future.  We'll know a lot more as more details are released over the next several days.)

Born Prince Roger Nelson on June 7, 1958, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and adept at playing a large variety of instruments, Prince also branched out into movies, starring in films like "Purple Rain", "Under The Cherry Moon", "Sign 'O' The Times" and "Graffiti Bridge", all of which he also provided the musical soundtrack for.  He also wrote and performed the bulk of the score for the first (and best) "Batman" movie starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson (and even scored a #1 Hit with "Batdance" from the film.)

There was talk many times over the years of Prince portraying Jimi Hendrix in a biopic about the legendary star.  Not only does he look a little bit like Jimi but with his own incredible guitar prowess, he could have easily handled all his own stunts.  (Eric Clapton was reportedly once asked "How does it feel to be the world's greatest guitarist" to which he replied, "I don't know ... ask Prince.")

He always remained true to his Minnesota roots and helped advance the careers of several other artists like Sheena Easton, Sheila E, Apolionia, Vanity (who also just passed recently), Wendy and Lisa and more, nearly all of whom he was also romantically involved with.  In addition, he wrote the hits "Manic Monday" by The Bangles, "I Feel For You" by Chaka Khan and "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Sinead O'Connor.  (Remember the night when The Pope tore up her picture on national TV???)  Below is a link to a medley of hits written, cowritten, produced or inspired by Prince):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=VCLor8WltRQ

He was inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004, where he performed (with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Steve Winwood, Danni Harrison and several others) the George Harrison classic "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".  It was a show-stopping performance (and has probably racked up several million more views in the short time since news of Prince's death circulated around the world.) Nearly every published news report I've seen links to this track rather than any of Prince's solo work ... kind of surprising in the way since he was such a "visual" artist in his own right.




Tributes from all over the world have been pouring in ... and countless musicians have gone on record citing Prince as a tremendous influence in their own careers.  (You'll find several listed below)

Prince is the latest casualty in an incredible year of musical passings ... at this rate, they're going to have to extend The Grammy Ceremony by an extra hour this year just to fit in all the tributes.

We have just heard that Prince has died.  This year of 2016 continues to be a rough one for musicians.  I liked several of his songs through the late 80's.  His music will live on.  My 17 year old son and his buddies were jamming to Raspberry Beret last Summer.  When I asked them about it, I was told that was their favorite song.
Phil - WRCO

Hi Kent. 
I just wanted to send you a few notes on the death of certainly one of the finest singers, songwriters and musicians of our lifetime: the artist simply known as Prince. I was able to see him in concert four times over the course of 30 years and have to say his performances were simply electrifying. Sure he was a multi Grammy winner, an Oscar winner and Rock Hall Of Fame inductee. Sure he recorded lots of excellent music and had many chart hits over his career. Prince (as one of his role models Stevie Wonder had done prior) would record entire albums all by himself. He would write, produce and play every instrument, sing every note and then mix it all into two LP sides of funk, soul, rock, blues and pop. Truly a one man band. I, as many music fans are today, am simply shocked and stunned at his sudden death. Hard to select just one favorite song, but after recent events the song I wanted to hear first was the closing track of his Parade album ("Sometimes It Snows In April"). Today it may not be snowing, but on this April 21st there are many tears falling. Gone at just 57 years of age. Thanks for all the wonderful music. R.I.P. Mr. Nelson.
Santi in Miami

THE PRINCE HIT LIST
(It kinda HAS to be in purple, doesn't it???)
1980 - I Wanna Be Your Lover (#11)
1983 - 1999  (#12)  
1983 - Little Red Corvette (#6)
1983 - Delirious  (#8)
1984 - When Doves Cry  (#1)
1984 - Let's Go Crazy  (#1)
1984 - Purple Rain  (#1)
1985 - I Would Die 4 U  (#8)
1985 - Take Me With U  (#25)
1985 - Raspberry Beret  (#1)
1985 - Pop Life  (#7)
1986 - Kiss  (#1)
1986 - Mountains  (#19)
1987 - Sign 'O' The Times  (#3) 
1987 - U Got The Look  (#2)
1988 - I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man  (#10)
1988 - Alphabet Street  (#8)
1989 - Batdance  (#1)
1989 - Partyman  (#15)
1989 - The Arms of Orion   (#33) 
1990 - Thieves In The Temple  (#1)
1991 - Gett Off  (#21)
1991 - Cream  (#1)
1992 - Diamonds And Pearls  (#1)
1992 - Money Don't Matter 2 Night  (#20) 
1992 - My Name Is Prince  (#20)
1993 - 7  (#6)
1993 - The Morning Papers  (#35)
1994 - Pink Cashmere  (#33)
1994 - The Most Beautiful Girl In The World  (#3)
1994 - Letitgo  (#17)
1995 - I Hate U  (#12)
1996 - Betcha By Golly Wow!  (#31)
1999 - 1999  (#40)  re-released to celebrate 1999
 

FH Reader Tom Cuddy sent in this list of incredible accolades by some of the biggest names in music ...    

Elton John: “This is truly devastating news. The greatest performer I have ever seen. A true genius. Musically way ahead of any of us. Sang with him twice on stage. What an honor. Rest in peace you purple warrior.”   

Brian Wilson: "I'm shocked to hear that Prince passed at such a young age. Musically, he could do it all: sing, play, arrange and produce. Love & Mercy."   

Mick Jagger:"I am deeply shocked to hear of Prince’s passing. His talent was limitless. One of the most unique and talented artists of the last 30 years. A revolutionary artist, a great musician, composer, a wonderful lyricist, a startling guitar player, but most importantly, authentic in every way."   

Lenny Kravitz:"My musical brother... My friend... The one who showed me the possibilities within myself, changed everything, and kept his integrity until the end, is gone. I am heartbroken."   

Dennis DeYoung:"LONG LIVE THE PRINCE. Too soon. I think I just saw a Dove Cry."  

Joe Walsh:"Prince- Thank you. You showed us all how to do it."   

Mickey Hart:"This post goes out to all the great musicians we've recently lost in 2016. Thank you for your contributions, your fearless creativity and sharing your heart & soul with the world. There must be quite a jam session going on upstairs."   

Bob Seger:"It’s shocking, and so sad. Way, way too young. He was so immensely talented. It’s unusual to have somebody be that talented on so many instruments and yet still be a really good producer, songwriter, arranger ... everything... I loved his music. He still had greatness ahead of him, I believe. He was a gift to music.”   

Bono:"I never met Mozart, I never met Duke Ellington or Charlie Parker. I never met Elvis. But I met Prince."   

Dave Mason:"In 2004, Traffic was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Bob Seger, ZZ Top, Jackson Browne, George Harrison, The Dells, and Prince. Up until that time I was never a big Prince fan other than the song 'When Doves Cry.' Prince was the first performance that night and I have to say I was absolutely blown away. Sad to hear of his passing so young."   

Paul McCartney:"Saddened by Prince's death. Proud to have seen in the New Year with him. He seemed fine and played brilliantly funky music. God bless this creative giant. Thanks Prince."   

Ringo Starr:"God bless Prince. We will all miss him. I still have my purple whistle. I will blow it tonight. Peace and love."   

Cyndi Lauper:"Heartbroken about Prince, one of the greatest artists has left us... I'll miss my friend, his advice and great humor. Thank you for your magical music."   

Ted Nugent:"My soul brother, funk brother, blood brother. Jam in peace forever."   

Steven Tyler:"LEGENDS NEVER DIE...WE MAY HAVE LOST HIS BODY, BUT WE’LL NEVER LOSE HIS MUSIC OR SOUL...REST IN PEACE TO MUSIC ROYALTY PRINCE."   

Stevie Nicks:"My friend is gone...This is what it sounds like, when doves cry. He was my dove..."   

Mick Jones of Foreigner:"The world lost another legend… Thank you for giving us so much…"   

Justin Hayward:"He gave me the ability so see life differently. Thank you dear Prince. 'Raspberry Beret' is one of the top five lyrics ever written. A joy... And I got to mix a great show of ours at Paisley Park studios - brilliant."   

Chris Cornell of Soundgarden: "I'm in shock and deeply saddened... RIP to one of the MOST talented and unique artists of our generation."   

Stevie Van Zandt : "Oh no. Not Prince. What a magnificent lifeforce. Our world is forever diminished."   

Duff McKagan of Guns n' Roses: "What do we do now? PRINCE. No. I hope you weren't in much pain... Your music saved me time and again."   

Slash of Guns n' Roses: "So sad to hear of Prince's passing; one of the greatest musical talents of my lifetime. Maybe of the 20th century. RIP."   

Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine: "One of the greatest, most gifted and unique musicians, performers and producers ever."   

Billy F. Gibbons of ZZ Top: "My guitar-playing pal has left us but his impact is forever. RIP Brother Prince."   

Zac Brown Band: "Already a bad year for losing musical legends. Gigantic kick to crotch to lose Prince so young. So sad."   

Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones: "I will miss a good friend who was so talented. He was such a great performer / guitar player. Sleep well, Prince."   

Joey Kramer of Aerosmith: "We've lost one of our best. My thoughts and prayers are with Prince and his family. He was one of a kind."   

Jon Anderson of Yes: "He will always be with us. His movie Purple Rain is still very special to me. His soul, art and music stand alone... He was a 'Prince.'"   

Pete Townshend of The Who: "Goodbye, sweet Prince. Pure, certified genius at the highest level. Too soon.'   

Billy Idol: "Oh my God, I can’t believe that Prince has died. He was a great great talent…RIP."   

Gene Simmons: "Prince, Glenn Frey, David Bowie, these are people who changed lives. These are not just songs -- they are the soundtrack of people's lives. You remember things in your lives. In the days when I went out with Diana Ross and he was still singing in his underwear on stage, I took Diana to see him at a club and I said, 'You've got to check this guy out.' He was singing in a pure falsetto but his talent was undeniable. It was like, 'Look at this guy.' What he's done is undeniable -- he carved his own road and whether the record company liked him or not he was his own guy. His body of work is undeniable."   

John Fogerty: "Honored that Prince chose to perform 'Proud Mary' at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2007. You were truly one of a kind. Rest in Peace."   

Nikki Sixx: "RIP Prince. One of the saddest days to sat the least. He was the true definition of a real artist."   

Paul Stanley: "This is a profound, profound loss... RIP PRINCE."   

David Coverdale: "R.I.P Prince...Exceptional talent..."   

Kenney Jones: "And another one lost in 2016. What is it with this year? Prince RIP. Loads will be shedding purple tears. May God be with you and keep you at peace."   

Peter Frampton: "I can't believe we have lost Prince. My thoughts are with his family. Sad isn't the word. Rest in peace."   

Ann Wilson: "He brought light to the world... Now he is on a journey of his own. Travel well sweet soul!"   

Jon Bon Jovi: "I'm crushed by the news that one of the greatest inspirations in music EVER has passed. I was lucky enough to have met him many times, and to call him a friend... PRAYERS to his family and to all who loved his genius..."   

Don Felder: "One of the best concerts I have ever seen, here in Los Angeles several years ago. I've seen a lot of shows but his was a display or great songs, amazing vocals, killer grooves, rocking guitar parts and God-given talent. RIP Prince Rogers Nelson. You have given us years of wonderful music. Thank you."   

Travis Barker of Blink 182:“Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time. Haven't loved an artist as long or as consistently as I have Prince. My dream was to one day collaborate with him or play drums for him. He use to come watch #DJAM and I play. Those nights went down as some of my favorite.”    

Paul Rodgers: "A great performer and an amazing talent who made a difference."      

Rolling Stone Magazine offers many more tributes (including a moving video from Stevie Wonder) ... as well as lots of Prince videos (and a clip of song that Prince wrote for Kenny Rogers!!!)
http://www.rollingstone.com/ 

Update:  We heard last night that Prince's "medical condition" that forced an emergency landing in Moline, IL, a week before his death was not flu-related but rather a drug overdose.  Naturally, we're expecting to hear MORE bad news over the next several days as details of Prince's final days come to light.

*****

With the death of Prince today, I'm afraid the loss of another musical legend may get overlooked.

Ken Voss

LONNIE MACK, JULY 18, 1941 - APRIL 21, 2016

http://mailman.305spin.com/view/?cid=5&sid=8016&uid=71772&ue=marc%40allig.com&lid=6571

 

Lonnie's big pop hit, of course, was his excellent instrumental version of Chuck Berry's "Memphis", which reached #5 in 1963.  Lonnie hit The Top 40 one more time with the follow-up record, "Wham!".  We hope to have more on Mack this weekend in Forgotten Hits.  (kk)