Happy Belated Birthday to Bob Dylan.....

    Yes, yes, I realize that his birthday was several days ago, but time got away from me....      Dylan's influence in modern music is almost incalculable. His role in the folk, electric folk, country rock, and singer/songwriter genres is groundbreaking. He proved (which was an impossible notion at the time) that you didn't need a great voice to be successful. Much of the introspective writing that the Beatles were given credit for would have never happened without Dylan. For a child of the 70's however, he...

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The Omnibus live!!

Don't forget to listen to the Rock and Roll Omnibus live on the air over www.radiofreenashville.org. The fun starts at 9pm Central US....we will be all over the place musically and if you are adventurous in your listening...come and join ...

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Sunday Morning Vault: The Action--Shadows and Reflections (1967)

     Sometimes when you look back in time you hear artists and just wonder what was it that kept them from stardom? The Action from England is one such group....       They were made up of  Reg King (lead vocals), Alan King (lead guitar vocals), Peter Watson (guitar), Mike Evans (Bass, vocals), Roger Powell (Drums), and were are part of the "mod" subculture of the mid-60's that also brought us "The Who", and the Small Faces".        Reg was a fine white blues singer,...

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Gladys Knight and the Pips--Midnight Train to Georgia (1973)

     For many of my vintage, when you think of Gladys Knight and the Pips, you are taken back to the early/mid 70's. For others it goes back to the late 60's with songs like, "I Heard it Through the Grapevine". Actually however, the story of the group goes back to 1952 when at the age of 7 she won Ted Mack's Amateur Hour. The next year Gladys, along with her brother Bubba, sister Brenda, the cousins William and Eleanor Guest began, "The Pips". They began to tour regularly with cousins Langston George and Edward Patton replacing...

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Ramsey Lewis--The 'In' Crowd (1965)

     Ramsey Lewis turns 76 today....      Ramsey has been recording since the mid-50's and is, at least chartwise, one of the most successful jazz pianists ever. With 19 songs hitting the charts, 6 in the top 40, three Grammys (one for this song),  and five gold records, he is still recording and performing. "The 'In' Crowd" was his most popular song, but the years of 1965 and 66 were especially good  to him.       Please check out this and other songs on our 24/7 online...

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Happy Birthday to Hal David...

   Sorry about the blog not being up yesterday, but spent much of the day in bed sick. Am feeling quite a bit better this morning, but still in a pretty mellow mood. Thank goodness today is Hal David's 90th birthday!       David began as a lyricist in the mid-40's for band leaders like Guy Lombardo and Sammy Kaye, but it was his collaboration with Burt Bacharach that put both of them on the map.     They began working together in 1957 writing, "The Story of My Life" for Marty Robbins in 1957, and from...

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Cat Stevens--Moonshadow (1971)

   Well well....the premiere of "The Rock and Roll Omnibus" is tonight at 9pm Central US. You can hear it at radiofreenashville.org, and hope you will all give a listen. In the meantime, it's cloudy, rainy, and I feel like I've been hit by a truck. The only think I know to do is take meds and drink fluids and be thankful that it's still about 15 hours away.     In the meantime, this is a good morning for some laid back sounds.      Cat Stevens wrote "Moonshadow" for the album "Teaser and the Firecat",...

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Sunday Morning Vault: The American Beetles: You Did It to Me/She's Mine (1964)

     As we meander around the history or Rock and Roll, it becomes evident that just like in other areas of entertainment that imitation is truly the sincerest form of flattery. In popular music, it also becomes a millstone around the neck of artists and record companies. There is ONLY one Elvis, The Beatles, Stones, Claption...etc.., however billions of dollars are wasted on finding their version of the icon while other artists are languishing.      Which brings us to the American Beetles. I don't know...

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Cher is 65???

     There are a handful of singers who have continued to be popular and creative over generations. There are few actors who's work span over the decades. But there is only one who straddled that creative gap between Hollywood and the recording studio and that is Cher. God knows the last 40 years have brought us actors who think they can sing, and singers who think they can act. Some actually do it with a modicum of success. But, like her or hate her, Cher has outlasted (and in some cases outlived) her detractors with a body...

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Happy Birthday to Pete Townshend....

    Today Pete Townshend turns 66....      One of the raging music debates in the late 60's/early 70's was who was better, The Beatles or the Rolling Stones. Of course the question itself was framed in a way where one had to be the best and the other was second. Now don't get me wrong, the Stones have a lot of things going for it, but for my money the second best group to come out of the British Invasion was The Who. I'll spend a lot of time on them down the road, but one thing is for sure, Townshend was one...

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Allman Brothers Two-fer: Ramblin Man (1973)/Jessica (1973)

     I have always appreciated the Allman Brothers, but with some age and perspective it is obvious how for a short time they were the best band in the world, and arguably the best US band of the 70's. The material recorded with Duane was at sometimes downright stunning. The death of Allman and bassist Berry Oakley would have put a lesser band out to pasture, but the rest of the group led now by Dickey Betts to put out some great work that was popular with critics and on the charts. Ramblin' Man is by far the highest charting...

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The Brothers Johnson--I'll Be Good to You" (1976)

     Happy 58th Birthday to George Johnson of The Brothers Johnson....      George and Louis Johnson had been in bands backing The Supremes,  Bobby Womack, then full time members of Billy Preston's band. After joining Quincy Jones in the studio and then a tour of Japan, he produced, "Look Out for No.1" in 1976. The first single, "I'll be Good to You" topped out at #3 which was the first of three top 10 hits. They did even better on the R&B charts topping out at #1. In 1990, the song reached No....

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Co-Founding member of the Guess Who: Chad Allan--Through the Looking Glass (1968)

    Chad Allan and the Silvertones were formed in the late 50's and several years later was changed to Chad Allan and the Reflections and then finally the Expressions in 1963. In 1965, they recorded, "Shakin All Over" and in the promo material sent to the radio stations the song was credited to "Guess Who?" as a promotional stunt. As the year went on however, the name stuck and was soon officially the "Guess Who".       The next year he began to have some problems singing and gave over part of the duties...

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Sunday Morning Vault: Aliotta, Haynes, Jeremiah--Lake Shore Drive (1971)

     Most all of us have songs that we loved as kids, but then forgot. In doing some research this week, I came upon this gem. It was never a hit outside the midwest, but in Chicago and St. Louis it is still loved. So here it is for your listening pleasure....happy Sunday y'all....don't forget to friend us on Facebook, and check out our radio station by clicking on the banner to the right.....

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Bobby Darin--Mack the Knife (1959)

     Today Bobby Darin would have been 75....       The story of Mack the Knife has it's origins in Britain and Germany. It was composed by Kurt Weill and Bertoit Brecht for their drama "Die Dreigroachenoper" or in English, "The Threepenny Opera", and premiered in Berlin in 1928.          The opera is based on the deadly Mackie Messer who himself was patterned after the highwayman Macheath in John Gay's, The Begger's Opera. The opera was translated into English in...

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Alfred Hichcock meets The Chipmunks: Alfi and Harry--The Trouble With Harry (1955)

     The person that links all three of things listed in the title is one Ross Bagdasarian Sr., better known as David Seville. Still not sure?? Listen on....      David was an actor and songwriter. His first big success was co-writing "Come On-a My House" with his cousin the author and playwright, William Saroyan. Rosemary Clooney had a hit with it in 1951. He then found work for the next few years playing bit part in movies. The role he would be most known for was the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, "Rear Window"....

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Jay Ferguson--Thunder Island (1978)

     Jay Ferguson turns 64 today...       Jay started out as keyboardist and lead vocalist for the group Spirit, which was a highly underrated band from the late 60's. I'll do a blog about them down the line, but go to You Tube and hear the song, "I've Got a Line On You" to hear one of their best. He left Spirit and along with bassist Mark Andes formed Jo Jo Gunne, whose first release was in 1972. They released four albums total and split up in 1974. He embarked on a solo recording career which went...

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Happy Birthday to Billy Joel

      It seems like it's been forever since Billy Joel left the stage as a pop/rock recording artist. He has not released an album that wasn't classical or live since 1993, which wouldn't be unusual until you realize that today he JUST turned 62!! He said at the time that he had nothing more to say, again which seems odd considering (at least to these ears) that "River of Dreams" seemed to show Joel at a high level. Why he truly left is not fully known (he might not even know), but there are two things that we have seen...

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Sunday Morning Vault: Aerosmith-- S.O.S. (Too Bad) (1975)

    When many think of Aerosmith (especially those under the age of 30), the thoughts go to the band who's comeback brought major success in the 90's. However, one could argue that although the sales were not quite as high, the music in the mid-70's was tougher and gritter. This is one that kind of fell between the cracks, coming just before "Sweet Emotion".       Please click on the live 365 link to the right for the best hits and those that should have been...on the Omnibus...and Happy Mother's Day.....

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Adds to the playlist this week.

The Ad Libs--Think of me (1966) Ritchie Adams--Every Window in the City (1965) The Action--Shadows and Reflections (1967) The Adorables--Daddy Please (1964) The Accents--You Better Think Again (1965) Aerosmith--S.O.S. (Too Bad) (1975) This and many more will be added throughout the days and week....keep it tuned to the best hits from the past and the ones that should have been....all on the Rock and Roll Omnibus. Just click on the live365 banner to the right.......

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The Mamas and the Papas--Monday Monday (1966)

   On this day in 1966, the Mamas and the Papas reached No. 1 on the US charts with "Monday Monday"....     I'll never forget hearing their harmonies for the first time and being totally intoxicated by them, especially Cass Elliot. To this day, when hearing any of their music, my ears perk up at the weaving of the voices and the pristine (for that day) production. Monday, Monday was a song that none (except for John Phillips) of them liked at all, but were rewarded with a No. 1 hit and a Grammy in 1967 for Best Pop Performance...

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Bob Seger: Ramblin Gamblin Man (1968)

     Even up into the 70's, you had many regional artists who had solid followings in their areas, but nowhere else. Our FM station of choice was KSHE 95 in St. Louis, where you could hear things that were not played anywhere else. (In fact the Omnibus station was patterned after it in style if not content). We heard Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, REO Speedwagon, Styx, Head East and others like Billy Joel, long before they made it big.      Bob Seger had a bit hit with "Ramblin Gamblin Man' in 1968, then a series...

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Elvis' First Number 1--(1956)

    On this date in 1956, Elvis Presley hit No. 1 for the first time with, "Heartbreak Hotel". It was first released in January of that year, but took off to the top spot after an appearance on the TV show, "Stage Show" starring Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. The song itself almost never made it to the studio as just about everyone who heard the song (written by Tommy Durden and Mae Boren Axton) thought it was "terrible" and "morbid". The song had been based on a news story from Miami who had destroyed his identification papers and then...

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The Beach Boys: Wouldn't it be Nice (1966)

    Ever have one of those days where you feel like just mailing it in? Well, today is one of those days. Am not really motivated to write about anything special, so I just get to write about something that comes off the top of my head. Luckily, when it comes to music, that is never a problem....there is ALWAYS a "go to" song.      I could probably spend more time writing about Brian Wilson than anyone except for the Beatles. His life has been rock and roll soap opera to the max (well...so could the whole story of...

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The Adorables --Daddy Please (1964)

     The Adorables were two sets of sisters, Pat and Diane Lewis, and Jackie and Betty Winston. They cut four singles for Golden World label between 1964 and 65, and all four went nowhere. They broke up and Pat began to embark on a solo career when all of Golden World was sold to Motown, the masters, singers, songwriters and all. Pat at this point joined The Andantes which was Motown's premier female backing group, she later was a part of the Hot Buttered Soul Unlimited group which backed Isaac Hayes during his most successful...

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Ritchie Adams--Every Window In The City (1965)

    Every once in a while I come across a song that really sounds good, but know very little about the artist(s). This is one of those songs...so if you have more information and would like to share, it surly would be appreciated. I do know that Adams was member of The Fireflies, and had a solid songwriting career...and this is a great song...      If you like oldies, not just the popular ones, but the obscure ones as well...I invite you to click the banner to your right. It will open up in another tab, and you...

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Sunday Morning Vault: Art Adams--Rock Crazy Baby (1960)

By 1960, much of Rockabilly had gone underground. It was being recorded on small labels all across the country and was full of the reckless abandon that top 40 rock and roll had promised, but by 1960 was failing to deliver. Listening to many of these records now, it has a native urgency and rawness that it the true essence of rock and roll. Art Adams was a Kentucky boy who, with his group 'The Rhythm Kings', recorded a couple of sides for Cherry Records. They also cut a bunch of songs that were never released at the time, but thanks to the Brits...

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