See everyone back here on Monday!
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: THE OHIO EXPRESS * 1967 * HD STEREO
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: AL WILSON * 1968 * HD STEREO
CKLW * JACK ANTHONY * 1972
FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 9
From the MCRFB music calendar:
Events on this date: DECEMBER 9
1955: Elvis Presley performs at the B&I Club in Swifton, Arkansas, and introduces his new song, “Heartbreak Hotel,” by claiming “It’s gonna be my first hit.”
1962: Bobby Darin appears as the “mystery guest” on CBS’ What’s My Line show.
1967: The Doors’ Jim Morrison is arrested at a New Haven, CT show for “breach of the peace” and a resultant “resisting arrest” charge. The singer had been mistaken for a fan backstage by a security guard, and in the resulting altercation, he was maced. Morrison went on about the incident onstage during a performance of “Back Door Man” and was arrested.
1968: NBC airs the joint Supremes and Temptations television TCB (Takin’ Care Of Business).
1972: An all-star orchestral version of The Who’s Tommy opened at London’s Rainbow Theatre. Advance tickets went for the then-princely sum of $50, but the show itself was a major disappointment, with most of the “actors” floundering (except Who singer Roger Daltrey and Steve Winwood as Tommy’s father). Narrator Pete Townshend, for his part, was observed to be drunk. None of this stopped the cast recording from being recorded and eventually becoming a hit in ’73.
1984: The Jacksons’ five-month Victory tour — Michael Jackson’s last group tour — ends after 55 performances in 19 cities.
1991: A long legal battle over the Bob Marley estate ends when the nearly $12 million estate is awarded to his widow, Rita, and her children. In honor of the verdict, son Ziggy names his daughter, who was born that day, Justice Marley.
1992: After more than thirty years, Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman quits the group.
Birthdays: 1906: Freddy Martin. 1934: Junior Wells. 1938: David Houston
1940: Sam Strain (Little Anthony and the Imperials, The O’Jays). 1941: Dan Hicks. 1943: Rick Danko (The Band). 1944: George Baker; Shirley Brickley (The Orlons); Neil Innes (The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles). 1957: Donny Osmond.
Releases: 1963: The Supremes; ‘Meet The Supremes (LP).’ 1972: Elton John; “Crocodile Rock.” 1974: George Harrison, ‘Dark Horse’ (LP). 1978: The Blues Brothers; “Soul Man.”
Recording: 1953: Frank Sinatra; “Young at Heart.” 1966: The Beatles; “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Certifications: 1974: The Who; ‘Odds and Sods’ album is certified gold by the RIAA.
Charts: 1967: Cream; ‘Disraeli Gears’ album enters the LP charts. 1972: Helen Reddy; “I Am Woman” hits No. 1 on the charts. 1972: The Moody Blues; ‘Seventh Sojourn’ album hits No. 1 on the LP charts. 1978: Steely Dan; ‘Greatest Hits’ album enters the LP charts. 1978: Chic; “Le Freak” hits No. 1 on the charts.
Deaths: 1981: Sonny Til; (The Orioles).
And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day . . . . D E C E M B E R 9
FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 8
From the MCRFB music calendar:
Events on this date: DECEMBER 8
1960: Teen idol Fabian visits Elvis Presley at his Graceland mansion in Memphis. Elvis rips his pants demonstrating his new passion, karate, and Fabian lends him his pair.
1962: Legendary DJ and promoter Alan Freed appears at his payola trial in New York City and testifies to receiving money from labels to play their records on the air. He is found guilty, fined $300, and given six months probation, but the irreparable damage to his career has been done.
1963: Frank Sinatra, Jr. is kidnapped in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and freed three days later after his famous father pays the $240,000 ransom. The three men responsible are eventually caught and incarcerated.
1969: In a Toronto, Canada courtroom, Jimi Hendrix testifies in his trial for possession of hashish and heroin. Claiming to have “outgrown” drugs, the guitarist gives a very detailed history of his drug use. After eight hours, the jury returns a verdict of not guilty.
1975: The benefit concert “A Night of the Hurricane” is held at Madison Square Garden. The last date on Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue tour, the show features many non-musical celebrities and raises over $100,000 for the release of wrongly imprisoned boxer “Hurricane” Carter and his alleged accomplice. Carter himself calls the stage from jail.
1976: The Carpenters’ Very First Special, featuring guest star John Denver, airs on ABC.
1980: At 11:07 PM EST, former Beatle John Lennon is murdered in New York by a deranged fan just outside the Dakota Hotel, New York City. Lennon was shot in his chest, back and left arm and was pronounced dead thirty minutes later. Earlier that day, the killer had met Lennon outside the Dakota and had him sign a copy of his latest album, Double Fantasy.
1995: Four months after the death of founding member Jerry Garcia, the Grateful Dead officially announce their breakup.
1998: The FBI opens its 1,300 page file on Frank Sinatra to the public.
2003: Ozzy Osbourne suffers several fractures in his upper body in an ATV accident.
Birthdays: 1921: Johnny Otis. 1925: Sammy Davis, Jr., Jimmy Smith. 1939: Jerry Butler (The Impressions). 1942: Bobby Elliott (The Hollies). 1943: Jim Morrison (The Doors). 1946: Graham Knight (Marmalade). 1947: Gregg Allman (The Allman Brothers Band).
Releases: 1961: The Beach Boys; “Surfin,'” (LP). 1967: The Beatles; Magical Mystery Tour (UK; EP). 1967: Traffic; Mr. Fantasy (LP).
Recording: 1941: Ray Eberle and The Modernaires with The Glenn Miller Orchestra; “Moonlight Cocktail.” 1960: Henry Mancini, “Moon River.” 1966: The Beatles; “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “When I’m Sixty-Four.” 1969: The Beatles, “Octopus’s Garden.”
Charts: 1954: The Drifters; “White Christmas” enters the R&B charts. 1956: Guy Mitchell; “Singing the Blues” hits No. 1 on the charts. 1979: Styx; “Babe” hits No. 1 on the charts.
Deaths: 1980: John Lennon. 1981: Big Walter Horton. 1982: Marty Robbins. 1991: Buck Clayton.
And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day . . . . D E C E M B E R 8
OUR FRIENDS IN CHICAGO * WCFL
TEMPTATIONS’ MOTOWN ACT ENTHRALLS COPA CROWD. . . APRIL 19, 1969
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1969
Temptations a Polished Music-Making Machine
NEW YORK — The pleasure, pride and drama of steamrolling into the Copacabana last Thursday, April 10, with their million-sellers yielding to their million-sellers and hit albums crowding the current chart tops now belongs to Detroit’s own Motown Temptations, that relentless soul-to-gold hit machine, whose polish can be witnessed in person or can be researched in sneakers anytime on their fine album, “The Temptations Live At The Copa.”
Flashing their synchronized soul bursts, the quintet collaged their greatest hits into a picture of perpetual motions, striking the heights of excitement with “I Could Never Love Another,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” and “I’m Losing You.” The crunching soul snarl of Dennis Edwards, melting into the sensitive notes and high cries of Eddie Kendricks, fluently eased into the chords given off by Paul Williams with his rendition of “For Once In My Life.”
The electrifying acts’ finality became even more crowd enthralled when Mel Franklin took the microphone by complimenting the staged event with his moving bass reading of “Old Man River.” The song had been previously entwined in the group’s indelible trademark ever since Motown released the Tempts Detroit Roostertail “live” performance LP in 1967.
The versatility and timeless popularity of the Temps has made them music makers as big as the music they have shaped themselves, a brand of music which is without question, still on top pulsating the rhythmic heartbeat of a nation dancing to Detroit’s Motown soul today. END
___
(Information and news source: Billboard; April 19, 1969)
FLASHBACK POP MUSIC HISTORY: DECEMBER 7
From the MCRFB music calendar:
Events on this date: DECEMBER 7
1956: Britain’s Tommy Steele makes his concert debut at Finsbury Park, Astoria, London. Reviews proclaim him “Britain’s answer to Elvis.”
1963: The Beatles appear as panelists on the BBC show Juke Box Jury to rate records. Elvis’ new single, “Kiss Me Quick,” is declared a “hit.”
1964: The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson suffers a nervous breakdown while on a flight from Los Angeles to Houston. He would stop touring with the group soon after.
1966: Nancy Sinatra guest-stars on the CBS TV special Frank Sinatra: A Man & His Music, Part II.
1967: In Britain’s New Musical Express magazine, the Hollies’ recently-departed Graham Nash announces the formation of Crosby, Stills, and Nash.
1967: The Beatles’ Apple Boutique officially opens its doors at 94 Baker Street in London.
1968: The Animals’ lead singer, Eric Burdon, announces that the group will officially disband after a December 22 concert at Newcastle City Hall. Eric would pursue an ill-fated acting career in California.
1973: Fleetwood Mac’s then-manager, Clifford Davis, claims ownership of the band’s name and assembles a fake version of the group for a national tour.
1984: In a $5 million plagiarism suit brought against him in Chicago, IL, Michael Jackson testifies that he did not steal his hit “The Girl Is Mine” from an Illinois man. He eventually wins the case.
1987: Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, and Judy Collins (among others) appear onstage at Carnegie Hall to pay tribute to Harry Chapin, who would have been celebrating his 45th birthday. That same day, Chapin received a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor (#111) for his work in fighting hunger.
Birthdays: 1911: Louis Prima. 1924: Boyd Bennett, Bent Fabric. 1931: Bobby Osborne (The Osborne Brothers). 1940: Carole Simpson. 1942: Harry Chapin. 1947: Gregg Allman (The Allman Brothers). 1949: Tom Waits.
Releases: None
Recording: 1974: Linda Ronstadt, “You’re No Good.”
Certifications: None
Charts: 1957: Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me” hits No. 1 on the charts. 1963: The Singing Nun’s “Dominique” hits No. 1 on the charts. 1974: Carl Douglas’ “Kung Fu Fighting” hits No. 1 on the charts.
Deaths: 1990: Dee Clark.
And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day . . . . D E C E M B E R 7
CKLW-AM WINDSOR-DETROIT MOVES TOWARD CANCON . . . APRIL 19, 1969
From the MCRFB news archives:
CKLW Gets License Renewal on Condition
TORONTO — The Canadian Radio Television Commission has ruled that radio station CKLW in Windsor, Ontario will receive its license renewal until September 1, 1970.
But within that period of time, the station must divest itself of it’s U. S. ownership or lose its broadcasting license altogether.
The CRTC said that, according to its records, the issued shares in Western Ontario Broadcasting are now owned by RKO Distributing Company, of Canada, which is owned by RKO General Inc., in the United States. These shares must change hands to a Canadian-owned company within a year and a half or the station will lose its license.
This decision was based on a Canadian government order of September 20, 1968, which ruled that any Canadian broadcasting outlet must be “effectively owned and controlled by Canadians.”
CKLW applied for an exemption of this order based on its geographic and economic situation — the Detroit area which adjoins Windsor directly across the river. The CRTC could have recommended such an exemption if it had so chosen but in doing so it would have had to satisfy both itself and the federal cabinet that this action would not be contrary to public interests.
The commission said that after consideration of the petition of CKLW, it could not make such a recommendation.
The commission noted that it was granting the temporary license renewal to “give the licensee an opportunity to comply with its provisions or to dispose of the assets of the station.” END.
[CANCON is an acronym for “Canadian Content” — MCRFB]
(Information and news source: Billboard; April 19, 1969).