When opening my browser I get a listing of recommended stories that usually don't turn my crank. However, I came across a story about the making of Johnny Cash's "At Folsom Prison" album that I found to be quite interesting. https://getpocket.com/explore/item/johnny-cash-s-at-folsom-prison-at-50-an-oral-history?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us 

The only song I recall hearing on the radio around these parts was "So You Are A Star", which owed more than a little to The Beatles. It seems fitting that Mark Hudson became a co-writer, producer and musical road director for Ringo Starr for about 10 years, into the mid-2000's.

Here's a story from Cashbox on the Canadian classic that turned 50. https://cashboxcanada.ca/features-music/skylarks-classic-wildflower-celebrates-50th-anniversary-canadian-music-pioneer-bj

I was going through the new release section of Allmusic and came across this new singles comp by Jon & Robin. While they only had a couple of charting songs that I remember, "Dr. Jon" and particularly "Do It Again (Just A Little Bit Slower)", were great radio fodder. I read up on them a bit and after leaving the music biz, Jon Abdnor Junior apparently lost his mind and was charged with the murder of his Texas girlfriend. He passed away in 2008. Javonne "Robin" Braga also quit music, and she's still around and can be found on Facebook. https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-singles-mw0004027033

This was my second chat with Ian, the first being in 1995 when he was promoting Tull's "Roots To Branches" album. Regarding the umlaut, I mentioned to him that my name is of German origin (Mütz) and that I  have a dandy recipe for wiener schnitzel. He said that was his wife's favourite dish so I invited them for dinner the next time Tull comes through Toronto.

Lorne wrote:

Here's an article about 10 other hits where there were allegations of copying. 
https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2023/05/04/ed-sheeran-wins-his-copyright-trial-here-are-10-other-hits-that-were-accused-of-being-copycats.html

I think the first such lawsuit I heard of is when Boyce and Hart sued Johnny Nash, claiming he ripped off Hold Me Tight from Last Train To Clarksville. They won the suit, and although I can hear bits that sound similar, I think it's a bit of a stretch to say he stole the melody.
 

Here's a very short audio clip from the Front Row show of April 3. Man, this makes the Star Club recordings sound pristine in comparisonhttps://www.veed.io/view/a4b40fea-730d-44b8-88a1-f5d2deb0e28b?sharingWidget=true&panel=share

Well, it's certainly been a banner time lately for fans of 60's rock acts. First, came Donovan's new album Gaelia, which was released late last year. In January, Moody Blues front-man Justin Hayward released a single called 'Living For Love', which is to be followed by a new album in August. (He's also playing a dozen or so Canadian and U.S. dates in May/June). And yesterday The Zombies dropped a new album called Different Game. I gave it a spin on Spotify but I wasn't crazy about it outside of a track called 'Got To Move On', that sounds a bit like a bluesy Steely Dan with some of Rod Argent's 'She's Not There' keyboards thrown in for good measure.

 

I caught the Everly Brothers piece on CBS this morning and found it quite interesting. That being said, I don't think this new album contains any songs that are rare or long lost. They've just remastered some of the brothers' lesser known works.  Personally, I would have preferred a re-release of EB 84, their comeback album produced by Dave Emunds, along with some unreleased tracks. Their recording of McCartney's 'Wings Of A Nightingale' is an absolute classic.

aflem wrote:

Mick Fleetwood insists that without McVie, there can be no more Fleetwood Mac and the group is effectively disbanded by her death.

Mick Fleetwood thinks band is 'done' after Christine McVie's death 

Don't bet on it. The band really should have packed it in when Lindsay Buckingham left instead of bringing in Neil Finn from Crowded House to replace him. I'm sure they'll try and wring every last buck out of the Big Mac. Alicia Keys' career seems to be wavering a bit and she does play keyboards...
 

aflem wrote:

I'm resurrecting this old thread because another fairly outrageous example has surfaced - The Box Tops are getting ready to play a gig in Ohio this week. There is a single member of the group fronting the tour.

But how you can expect the same sound without lead singer, the late Alex Chilton, is totally baffling. It's kind of like having "The Box Tops Lite." Without that powerful voice on vocals, it can't be the same experience. 

Also taking the stage - The Buckinghams and the Assocation, again without the lead singers who were featured on the original hits. 

There are some interesting tidbits in the linked article from a local newspaper in Warren, Ohio. According to Gary Talley - the sole original Box Tops member - the group had a ton of hits in the 60s, but made almost nothing from them, thanks to what he calls less than scrupulous management.

Talley said the band toured pretty much nonstop from 1967 until 1970, although he tells an all-too-familiar story that the band’s management saw far more money from The Box Tops’ success than the musicians did. Talley made more money from a radio commercial the band did for Coke than he did from many of the records.

And you may be surprised to learn what specific audience the chart-topping "The Letter" really appealed to. 

Chart-topping Boxtops to perform with Association, Buckinghams
 

There are actually two original members performing, Talley and Cunningham, but I agree that without Chilton it's not the Box Tops. Funny thing is Chilton dropped that "powerful voice" after he left the Box Tops in 1970 and formed Big Star and then went on to a solo career. When Chilton reunited with the Box Tops in the early 2000's, I'll bet a lot of people thought it wasn't the original singer. (check out the video) Regardless of which voice, the guy was

I remember reading somewhere that John Lennon was smitten by the harmonica on that song, and that he approached Delbert for a brief lesson and then added a harp refrain to Love Me Do.

Jim Southern wrote:

Art Laboe's concept of "Oldies But Goodies" albums pioneered putting various pop music artists on one record and marketing it to the masses.  He originally planned for it to be for just the Southern California area but it took off around the country and reached #12 on the Billboard LP chart back in the Fall of 1959.  I happened to hear him on the radio (probably KRLA) one night in 1972 as he declared his religious belief with his audience.  Since we shared our common beliefs, I wrote him a letter thanking him for his expression and for letting his audience know where he stood.  I wrote the note on my radio station letterhead (KEVA) and sent it on it's way.  About two weeks later, I got a package in the mail.  Inside from Art Laboe were the 12 "Oldies But Goodies" vinyl discs available at that time.  Today, they are among the most prized of all my collection.  Thank you, Art Laboe, for you truly shared the memories with us.

Sounds like he beat K-Tel to the punch by about 10 years. Maybe he should have been given a cut of K-Tel's profits for coming up with the concept.
 

Never heard about that. The closest to that which I recall was in 1969, when our local Top 40 station CHUM, edited the word "Christ" from the line "Christ you know it ain't easy", from The Beatles' Ballad Of John & Yoko.

I find it kind of odd that this update on Peter Foldy doesn't mention the only song I remember him for, Bondi Junction, which was a huge, although arguably undeserved, hit in Canada. https://tinnitist.com/2022/09/19/peter-foldy-remembers-when-he-used-to-have-fun-fun-fun/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=peter-foldy-remembers-when-he-used-to-have-fun-fun-fun