Take that, Elvis!


 

For those who remember Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In...

It's a little known tale of how the legendary label took an unsuccessful bucking bronco ride into the world of country music. 

"The little-known story of Melodyland — involving a titillating novelty song, an early rock & roll star who tried to go country, and a resolute evangelist who wouldn’t back down — telegraphs country’s crossover popularity. [Berry] Gordy, a titan of Black music, saw the appeal of the genre and leveraged his powerful label to take a shot at Nashville — only to come up with an empty beer glass."

When Motown Tried - And Failed - To Go Country
 

I stole this from my local radio board, but after seeing the special, I thought it was worth reposting here. 

American Masters, the PBS show that highlights famous people, is showcasing the career of Brenda Lee in December. I saw the show last week on my local affiliate and thought it was spectacular. You don't have to be a huge fan of "Little Miss Dynamite" to be amazed at the footage of the 11-year-old appearing on old 50s TV shows and wowing the audience. 

The profile contains comments from such power female singers as Pat Benatar, Tanya Tucker and Jackie DeShannon, who all credit Lee with pioneering the way for their careers. There's also some great factoids in the show, including one I still find hard to believe:

It claims Lee is the one artist with the most double sided hits in Billboard history. Is that possible?

In any event, it's well worth a watch, although you'll want to record it to avoid the pledge breaks. Not sure when it's on in your market, but you can, as they used to say, check your local listings. If it's already aired, check for additional airings at off times. It's usually shown several times on different days. 

In an interview with Cousin Brucie on WABC Radio Nov. 30th, surviving Monkee Micky Dolenz, currently on tour, made an amazing admission. 

He was asked if the music thing hadn't worked out what would he have wanted to do. 

His answer: "I think I would have liked to be a nuclear physicist!"

Brucie laughed, thinking it as a joke. But it wasn't. Dolenz says he admires Queen guitarist Brian May, who is a nuclear physicist, is fascinated by science and if the Monkees thing hadn't been such a success, he might have gone back to school as a young man to pursue the field. 

It did not sound like he was kidding and admitted it's one his regrets that he never got to pursue it. 

Or I can say after hearing how earnest he sounded, "I'm A Believer." 

The name Alice Brock probably doesn't mean much to most here, but you would certainly know her name from another source: Arlo Guthrie. 

Brock was the inspiration for the title track of his most famous song, "Alice's Restaurant," where as you know, you can get anything you want. 

It was Guthrie himself who announced her passing at age 83.

"This coming Thanksgiving will be the first without her," he wrote. "Alice and I spoke by phone a couple of weeks ago, and she sounded like her old self. We joked around and had a couple of good laughs even though we knew we'd never have another chance to talk together."

The 18-minute track has become a classic staple of progressive radio and marked a major milestone in the singer's career. And as the article below indicates, it was all based on a true story - sort of.

Alice Brock, who helped inspire Arlo Guthrie's classic 'Alice's Restaurant,' dies at 83

I always used to get a kick out of the DJ who warned listeners not to sing along with "There's Something Wrong With Me," while their car window was open.

He said if the guy driving beside you didn't know the song, he'd think you were crazy and would probably agree with the title!

I hadn't heard of anyone from the Moody Blues in years, but I always loved the group's material. Now a true blast from the past has emerged as one of their lead members-  John Lodge - is hoping to be back on the charts with a brand new Christmas single. 

This "present" for listeners came after Lodge suffered a stroke the previous year and wanted to prove he still had the ability to sing and make music. Have a listen and see what you think of this musical Knight, who's no longer in White Satin.

The Moody Blues’ John Lodge releases new Christmas tune, ‘Love Will Conquer All’

You may not know the name Shel Talmy, but you've definitely heard his music. He's the producer who helped bring The Kinks, The Who and David Bowie to prominence in the 1960s, with an emphasis on a raw guitar sound. He was behind the controls for "You Really Got Me" and "My Generation," among others. 

He passed at 87 this week, but left a message behind for fans and family alike. Here's part of his famous last words.

“Please note, that if you're reading this now, this is my final vignette, as I am no longer residing on this plane of existence, and have ‘moved on’, to wherever that may be...

“I’ve had a good run, and I am delighted it lasted as long as it did. I’m also delighted that I am told I have a legacy that will last even longer. I look forward to meeting some of you in the future who are reading this, but LOL, don’t hurry to get here, I’m not going anywhere!”

You can read the entire statement and the story of his life in music at the link below.

“I’d like to think that there's a big studio in the sky”: Shel Talmy, legendary producer of The Who and The Kinks, dies aged 87

Goodbye Cruel World - James Darren
Shoot me out of a cannon, I don't care
Let the people point at me and stare
I'll tell the world that woman, wherever she may be
That mean, fickle woman made a cryin' clown outta me.

Not one of my favorites, but how about Cathy's Clown by the Everly Brothers?

Quincy Jones: His brilliance explained in 10 songs

Happy Halloween:

It's part of Shout Factory's free streaming service and even though it says you're supposed to sign in to watch it, I didn't have to. Didn't see the whole thing, just the beginning, but if you were a fan of the duo, well they got you, babe.

See it here.