Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Sunday Comments ( 01 - 16 - 11 )

Another edition of The Sunday Comments ...

re: ALAN O'DAY:
Kent,
Got Alan O'Day's CD yesterday. Really good - I'd forgotten about the album version of "Undercover Angel". Excellent!
What else can I win? :-)
Talk to you later!
Ed Pond

It's an EXCELLENT mix, isn't it??? (kk)



re: JACK SCOTT:

Last chance to send in your questions for Jack Scott. Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be compiling the final list of questions for our exclusive Forgotten Hits Interview. So if there's something that YOU'D like to ask this recording legend, email your questions NOW to forgottenhits@aol.com. (kk)

re: HENRY THE VIII:
Kent ...
Do you think that Peter Noone might be interested in bidding on this item ?
Frank B.
Paul Fraser Collectibles Henry VIII (1491-1547) (PF343)
I dunno ... let's ask him! (lol) kk

re: TOMMY ROE / SHEILA:
>>>I have a copy of Tommy Roe's SHEILA on Judd as well as another record he came out with that same year, 1960, CAVEMAN. (I know what some of your readers said, but I have always been under the impression it came out in 1960.) It seems to me, without checking my copy, that the song CAVEMAN says that Tommy Roe is backed by singers known as the Satins and Flamingos. (Larry Neal) >>>Hmmm ... first I've heard of that ... anybody know for sure what this might be about? (Hard to imagine The Satins and / or The Flamingos singing background on this unknown artist's record, especially for a regional label ... but we've heard stranger stories over the years!!!) kk
I just pulled my copies of the two singles that Tommy Roe recorded for Judd Records and the label info is as follows:

1. Caveman b/w I Got A Girl (Judd #1018) ... it says on the label underneath his name THE SATINS ... on both sides.

2. Shelia b/w Pretty Girl (Judd #1022) It says on the label Tommy Roe and The Satins with The Flamingos.

I have wondered occasionally if these groups were the same of THE Flamingos. Also, the group is referred to as Satins, not the 5 Satins.

One final note. On Tommy Roes' recording of Sheila above, I did not misspell it. That's how it was on the label.
I have one or two records, I believe, in which the title or maybe the artist or group's name was misspelled somehow.

Larry

Still wondering if there's ANY way these backing groups could have been the famous doo-wop groups of this era, The Flamingos and / or The Five Satins. (I really doubt it ... it just doesn't make sense!)

Again, if anybody out there can shed some light on that, we would appreciate it.
Meanwhile, here's another shot of the Judd Record label, showing both the title misspelling AND the background vocal group credits (kk)
I, too, have a number of records in my collection with either the artists' name spelled wrong, the title of the song spelled wrong and / or the songwriting credit spelled wrong. One of the more famous ones is a red label re-issue series single of Elvis Presley doing "That's All-Right", released on the RCA Gold Standard Record Label. Even after ALL those years, they STILL misspelled Presley's name on the record label as Presely!!!
Of course the most famous one of all is probably The Beattles misspelling on the first pressings of "Please Please Me" issued by Vee Jay Records in 1963, prior to Beatlemania hitting our shores. (On another Elvis-related note, we bought the "From Memphis To Vegas / From Vegas To Memphis" album when it first came out and the album cover said that Presley was doing a live version of the Tommy Boyce / Bobby Hart / Monkees Hit "Words" ... when, in fact, it was really The Bee Gees' tune of the same name! Ironically, Bobby Hart later told me that HE was fooled by the same thing when he picked the album up at an all-night record store at Hollywood and Vine out in California!) kk

>>>I have wondered occasionally if these groups were the same of THE Flamingos. Also, the group is referred to as Satins, not the 5 Satins. (Larry Neal)
They were local groups from somewhere around the Atlanta area, not the hit making groups.
Tom Diehl
Kinda figured as much ... but cannot help but wonder how they got away with using the "Flamingos" name!!! (kk)

re: SNOOPY AND THE RED BARON:
>>>SNOOPY ... I MEAN "SQUEAKY" ... vs. THE RED BARON ... I MEAN BLACK KNIGHT!!! (Huh?!?!?): The Royal Guardsmen had to change the song "Snoopy" due to its commercial possibilities, so in Canada, the Royal Guardsmen released this as the official release! (Courtesy of Clark Besch) kk
It took me several years and about $60 but I finally own a copy of the Canadian 45 ... it is incredibly rare ... I know of only a handful of copies out there (in all honesty, I'd have to guess maybe 100 or so), as it was only commercially available in one part of Canada only, for two weeks ... and then the version that became a US hit became the standard Canadian copy as well, as some copyright issues were resolved within that time.
Tom Diehl
The Royal Guardsmen scored a #2 Hit with this one in Canada, too, in early 1967. I had never heard the Squeaky / Black Knight version before ... so kudos to Clark Besch for sending it in so all of us can enjoy it. (And, with The Royal Guardsmen now part of our Forgotten Hits Family, hopefully THEY got a kick out of it, too!) kk

LOVED THE "STRANGE" ALTERNATE (CANADIAN) VERSION OF SNOOPY VS. THE RED BARON. I'VE NEVER HEARD IT BEFORE, BUT REALIZE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ALL ABOUT. THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPERB DETECTIVE WORK & DELICIOUS AUDIO DESSERTS...
MICHAEL G. BUSH

re: GERRY RAFFERTY:
What a bummer! I used to listen to my local FM station and wait for the long version of "Baker Street". "Stuck In the Middle With You" is also a great song. Gerry will be missed.
Ed

Gerry's music was subdued and that made it so memorable! The "City to City" album is just great. Who cannot resist putting on "Baker Street" and rolling down the windows on a summer drive? "Everyone's Agreed" (45 VERSION) is just another great song too by Stealers Wheel. He made some wonderfully unique music!
Clark Besch
That he did. "City To City" is a masterpiece, start to finish ... I've played the HELL out of that album over the past 30 years! (kk)

Kent,
The music of Stealers Wheel serves as a collective memory of happy times of all-nighters writing eternal, infernal chemistry lab reports, with good music on in the background to keep me awake. With all the great Gerry Rafferty comments so far, would you entertain another two cents being tossed in for good measure?
Ever wonder how “Stuck in the Middle” wound up on the charts? It almost didn’t. Were it not for a multitalented man and fortuitous happenstance, (then) Chicago resident, Peter Shelton visiting his native UK on vacation, it never would have happened.
Early Stealers Wheel bandmate, Tony Williams, has written a splendid foreword to Shelton’s newest book, “Rock ‘n Roll Fever: Blackpool in the 60s” (scheduled for release February, 2011) that tells the story. The foreword is a poignant chronicle of friendship, regard, and respect between music colleagues as I’ve ever read. Tony is a dynamic, accomplished man whose primary career as musician (Stealers Wheel, Jethro Tull) also includes diverse stints as a councilor in Blackpool, PR consultant, and conservationist.
Here, by permission, is an excerpt from the foreword:
(Shelton) “was on a surprise visit from the US and in Blackpool for just one day and then off to London on business. In a moment of uncanny coincidence that had a supernatural ending ... Pete had not only solved my travel problems and got me back to London and to Apple Studios, but his arrival and short intervention had a massive influence and impact on my own and other’s careers.
While in Apple Studios, Pete took some photos of the session and hung out with Leiber and Stoller, who were producing our album, and discovering that they had many famous mutual friends in the music business back in the USA.
At the end of the day’s session, we sat back and listened to the playbacks and paid special attention to a track called ‘Late Again’ that we all thought would be our breakthrough single. The last track to be played was a throwaway song that we considered to be just a filler, as we had run out of material. That song was called ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’. We didn’t pay any serious attention, but Pete immediately stuck his finger in the air and declared very positively ‘That’s a Hit!’
We all looked at him, as though he had been on another planet ... how could he be serious ...? The track was meant to be a joke! Several months later after our first two singles had flopped, everyone wondered what should be the next release from the album to try and gain lost ground. Someone said, ‘What about “Stuck”?’ and remembered what Pete had said. The next single was indeed ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’ and the rest, as they say, is history.”
There’s more of course, in this fascinating book, Peter’s insight (he managed the famed Picador Club in Blackpool) of so many future stars who started in Blackpool (Ian Anderson, Barriemore Barlow, and Jeff Hammond) gathered on-the-scene of successes is written in a conversational, personal tone that makes it a fascinating fast-read.
Regards,
Dawn Lee Wakefield
FYI: Enthusiasm Disclaimer: I had the pleasure of editing Peter’s book and even greater joy of connecting with him when I interviewed him for the book Carl Giammarese and I are completing.
Undoubtedly, the music world is a very small place — Chicago is definitely one of the hubs from which a lifetime of tremendous songs have originated. Peter served as the tour manager for The Buckinghams (great stories of those days, 1967-1969); prior to that, as a bass player, he was briefly a part The Outsiders, right after “Time Won’t Let Me” broke. Shelton always had a keen ear for hit songs; in 1970 he produced the group, “Green Lyte Sunday” for RCA (killer version of “Chelsea Morning”), who included Michael Losekamp (previously of The Cyrkle, who coincidentally were co-featured with The Buckinghams on a Sony rerelease of selected hits). In the early 70s, Shelton co-produced early demos for “Dennis and Carl”, a duo that would later be known as Tufano & Giammarese — took some incredible photos of the early days following their transition from The Buckinghams into individual / duo singers / songwriters. Shelton’s photos are also featured on many Singers Unlimited album covers. Music is central to his universe — so naturally, Peter Shelton had a casual, but important, influence on the success of Stealers Wheel. For many years after he returned to Blackpool, he worked as a major UK soccer talent scout. While others would be content to retire, Peter is already working on his next book of his own photography. He is indeed, a one-of-a-kind gentleman who has taught me so much about 60s music, both USA and UK.
GREAT stuff, Dawn Lee ... thanks for sharing this with our readers! (kk)

And, speaking of book reviews ...

re: BOOK REVIEWS:
Did you see Dick Stewart's book "Eleven Unsung Heroes of Early Rock and Roll"?
Great stories on all involved (some of it is quite surprising).
Davie Allan
I've been meaning to pick this one up ... don't think I've seen it in bookstores yet but know that it's available online. (Of course ONE of those great guitar heroes just happens to be some guy named Davie Allan!!! lol) kk

Kent ...
Just finished reading "The Girl In The Song" by Michael Heatley and Frank Hopkinson.
Interesting. Very easy to read. Each description of the girl who inspired the song to be written is two pages long. No long chapters to read.
Carrie Anne = Marianne Faithful
Dear Prudence = Prudence Farrow (Mia's Sister)
Diana = Diana Ayoub
The Girl From Ipanema = Helosia Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto
Jennifer Juniper = Jenny Boyd
Lola = Candy Darling (born James Slattery)
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds = Lucy O' Donnell
Philadelphia Freedom = Billie Jean King's team in the World Tennis League
Tiny Dancer = Maxine Feibelman
Uptown Girl = Elle Macpherson and Christie Brinkley
If you want more details and more girl songs, you'll have to read the book.
Frank B.

Hi Kent, its Hoss.
The book is published and out. You can get it on
www.wheretheactionwas.com.
I also gave out your email to a friend of mine in Memphis. His name is David Fleischman. He was on tour with the Raiders 3 or 4 times in the 60’s and the Band’s name was Flash and the Board of Directors. He has an Internet radio station called AllMemphisMusic.com and I just did an interview with him. My assistant Ellen will send out notices when it will be aired. I told him to contract you because he was looking for some songs he couldn’t find. Stay in touch.
Thanks,
Hoss
Hope to hear from him. Congrats on the book finally being out ... can't wait to read a copy! (kk)


re: NEWS OF ANOTHER NEW "MUSIC" MOVIE:
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there is a movie being produced called “Since I Don’t Have You”! The movie is based on the life and untimely death of Janet Vogel Rapp, “The Skyliners” original female vocalist, as seen through the eyes of her son Gavin Rapp who was 13 yrs. old at the time.
It is slated to premier in the fall of this year. There are a couple of clips out there. Jimmy helped them with the castings. (click below)
Click here: Since I Don't Have You - the movie
Here is a link to the Part 1 documentary that the Tribune Review (news paper) is doing following the production.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_702015.html
Nick

And, speaking of movies ...

re: THE WRECKING CREW:
Happy New Year. Just a short note to let you know where you might catch a screening of The Wrecking Crew in January. Thanks for the support.

Wednesday, January 12th, I will be in Norfolk Virginia SCHOOL OF MUSIC FOR ARMY, NAVY and MARINE CORPSNorfolk, VA

Info/Directions on the Wrecking Crew Facebook page
Sunday, January 16th,
NAMM SHOW @ Anaheim convention center

Hot Zone: Rm 204C 10:00am

Must be a member of NAMM

Door Prizes include products from Ovation, Zildjian, Modern Drummer and "Sticks 'n' Skins".
Saturday, January 22 7:00pm

Digital Media Factory

2809 Mission Street, Santa Cruz, CA

Q & A with Director Denny Tedesco

Followed by a Mixer, Music, Cash Bar

We’ve also just added a feature on the website for visitors to post comments or messages. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Click here: The Wrecking Crew Movie Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine, Don Randi, Glen Campbell, Earl Palmer

Hope to see you at one of the screenings,

Denny Tedesco
If you're in the area and have an opportunity to see this film, do yourself a favor and check it out. It's a MUST SEE Film for those who love this music of our generation. (kk)

re: AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR "JERSEY GIRLS":
Kent ...
Got this out of my newspaper.
Coming to Broadway this Spring ... "Baby, It's You".
It's a jukebox musical about the Shirelles.
The musical tells the story of Florence Greenberg , a housewife from Passaic,NJ, who discovered the Shirelles singing at her daughter's high school. Greenberg became their manager and eventually created a recording empire. Sounds like a hit.
Frank B.

re: WAX:
Last week we ran a "New Release" notice about the Wax CD ... sounds like they've already received a review from David Fricke in "Rolling Stone" Magazine! Congrats!
WAX - Melted (Lightyear)
This one is personal. Wax were from my hometown, Philadelphia, and they were everywhere between 1969 and 1971 -- in the clubs, opening shows for John Mayall, the Byrds and Chicago -- while I was away at college. They never made an album, so I would only know them by reputation and the members' later success: Singer-keyboardist Rob Hyman co-founded the Hooters; drummer Rick Chertoff produced them; and singer David Kagan was the bright voice, with Hyman, in the fine Philly group Baby Grand, which I DID see. MELTED is a set of songs Wax taped live in the sudio, near the end of their tether, and it is vintage early-Seventies ambition: progressive songwriting with snappy instrumental digressions, just enough pop gloss and that inevitable Philly-R&B tang. Now I know what I missed -- and I wish I'd been there.
-- David Fricke

re: COLLECTIBLES:
Got a few extra bucks in your pocket this week that you don't know what to do with? Then be sure to check this out ...
Paul Fraser Collectibles John Lennon's classic Ferrari 330 GT could roll to $220,000 at Bonhams
Kent ...
Baby you can drive my car.
Frank B.

re: GOLDEN OLDIES:

>>>This is grandma; or rather, great-grandma; checking in. really feel ancient after reading about other's first 45's. I had to scroll almost to the bottom before someone else remembered the early 50's as I do. How I found your website -- I was looking for release dates of my records. Sometimes, I'm lucky but would like the Top Ten (or 40) Charts for 1951-54, if anyone can guide me there.
I lost my wonderful husband in February of 2009 and music was our life. We "courted" to all those wonderful hits in 1953-54. I'm in the process of making a memory album for our children, grand-children and great-grandchildren (7, to be exact). It's hard to hear them again but something I feel compelled to do. My only only regret is that I didn't do this while he was alive. We would have had so much fun remembering those times together. Altho, they were rough times. We only saw each other on weekends that year before we married. Miserable. The song titles certainly played our emotions. Is there going to be anyone out there that remembers any of these???? (bpg42)
There may not be a LOT of people out here, but as you know, this is certainly within my era. I would love to let this wonderful great-grandmother know that I remember almost every record she mentioned. What really got my attention was when she mentioned Billy May, my absolute favorite of favorite bandleaders growing up and I also knew when he was the backing orchestra for Sinatra, Cole, Ella Mae Morse, Keely Smith and many others on the Capitol label. Is there some way you can tell her about me? I have so much music and memories to share and so few folks from my generation with which to share them.
Hil
Happy to pass your note along, Hil. This email especially touched my heart and I'm sure she'd love to reminisce about this music from this special era. (kk)

I also just heard from Top Shelf Oldies DJ Stu Weiss ... he very well may be putting together a little special program built around these song titles. (And wouldn't it be cool if we could get Grandman / Great-Grandma to call in and reminisce a little bit on the air???) Stay tuned ... as soon as we know more, we'll let you know ... this would be a program I think many of our readers would enjoy tuning in and listening to. (kk)

re: THE ASSOCIATION:

Hello,

I'm in the process of going through all of your past "editions." Just read your assessment of The Association written on Dec 29, 2008. The group you saw is comprised of 2-3 original members. I saw the original guys four times (after the death of Brian Cole) and they played their songs flawlessly. They were absolutely beautiful vocally and instrumentally. What is touring as The Association now, whom you saw twice, are a total abomination on what once was. It's unfortunate that you never got to see the Real Deal. I hate to say it, but I agree with you completely, but there was a time ...

Thanks for listening.

Sincerely,

David Capps

Actually, I DID get to see the original band back in 1967 ... they played at my High School ... and it was at the absolute PEAK of their career. ("Windy" and "Never My Love" both went to #1 that year!) So I have SOME appreciation for what they were (although honestly even THEN it was virtually impossible to duplicate their meticulous studio sound live on stage.) After seeing them perform a couple of years ago ... KNOWING what they once were ... it was a HUGE disappointment. As I mentioned in my review, I've probably only walked out of two or three concerts in my life ... but this was one of them! This summer The Association will be touring as part of The Happy Together Again Tour ... along with Rob Grill and the Grass Roots who ALSO received bad review after bad review after bad review last year for poor vocal performance. It's very sad to see when some of our musical heroes just can't do it anymore ... but it's also a fact of getting older. On the other hand, many of these performers sound as good today as ever ... and in some cases, even better ... but sometimes I've found it best to keep those OLD memories intact rather than tarnish them with a bad or disappointing performance. Fortunately, we have all the old music to listen to ... and, let's face it, back then the whole WORLD was perfect!!! This is hardly the case in ANY aspect of our lives these days. (kk)

Here's a review of the Association concert in 1968 in Chicago. This, just a couple months before the CFL chart I sent from November, 1968. Note that "Reqium" was the big hit of the night! B side of "Never My Love" and was #100 for 2 weeks on Hot 100, an odd piece at that. They sang it on Smothers Brothers live too at that time!
Note Dunwich's Will-O-Bees making a good impression as well!!
WLSClark

"Requiem For The Masses" is an AMAZING piece of music ... I remember getting chills the first time I heard them do it (and it may very well have been on The Smothers Brothers Show) ... nothing short of incredible. It received quite a few votes as a Favorite, Forgotten B-Sides a few years back, too. (kk)


re: THE ADDRISI BROTHERS:
>>>I agree that The Addrisi Brothers should have had more success on their own ... The follow-up single, "I Can Feel You", is my personal favorite ... and it actually made The Top 20 here in Chicago. (Nationally, it stalled at #90!) kk
Yes, "I Can Feel You" is just as good as their hit "We've Got to Get it on Again". How was that not a national hit??
Clark


Wow!!!! I knew both of those songs by the Addrisi Brothers ... I just didn't know I knew them!
Stacee
And that's EXACTLY what Forgotten Hits is all about. ALL this music is still locked away SOMEWHERE up in the vault ... we're just here to stimulate those brain cells and make you sing along again!!! (Of course if radio was doing THEIR job, then there'd be no reason for us to do ours ... thankfully it doesn't look like that'll change anytime soon!!!) kk

re: THE SKYLINERS:
In addition to the new Skyliners film we just told you about above, we got this note from Nick Pociask, which we're happy to pass along to any fans of the band who may have lost contact with them recently. Sounds like they're attempting to update their address book ... and have a brand new Alaskan Doo-Wop Cruise coming up, featuring The Skyliners, The Crystals and The Cleftones! Check it out below. (kk)

To all our friends and fans,
We hope your Holidays were Joyous and Memorable!!
You may not have heard from us in awhile only because we’ve recently experienced a “computer crash” this past June. We had lost over a year's worth of data (information prior to June of 2009 through July of 2010).
If it’s not too much trouble and you have retained any correspondence with us within this period please re-send it to us as we are attempting to up date a different computer.
We will also attempt to keep you informed of concerts within your area, so please let us know the exact area in which you are located ... but please do monitor our web site “tour section” for any additional concerts you might attend since we are not aware of any travel restrictions you may have.
Would you like to join us on a cruise to Alaska?
Please visit our ‘NEW” web site for more details --
http://www.theskyliners.com/
Thank you very much for your interest in, and support of, The Skyliners through out the years.
Take care and stay healthy.
All the Best to you and yours,
Nick A. Pociask, (bass / baritone vocal)
The Skyliners
(Jimmy, Donna, Rick, Nick)

I've been through a few of those nasty computer crashes myself, Nick, so I can certainly sympathize. Happy to pass this info along ... interested fans should check out The Skyliners website at the link above. (kk)


re: OTHER UP-COMING OR RECENT SHOWS:
Just read your piece about Bob Lind and John Beland ...
It'd be great to see these guys at the same venue. I met John at a restaurant gig in Sebastopol, about 60 miles north of San Francisco.
David
I'm hoping that a few of our readers had the chance to check out this show and will report back to us ... we'll keep you posted! (kk)

Looking forward to our shows in NYC later this month.
Hope to see our friends at either Queensborough Performing Arts Center in Bayside Jan 29th or BB Kings Times Square Jan 30th.
All the best,
Ronnie D.
Now THIS would be a REAL fun show to see!!! If any of our New York Readers are able to attend, please report back to us! (kk)

re: THE MONKEES:
Hi -
I saw your blurb about the "My Favorite Monkee Sings" 45 -
I’ve got a copy of this single but at the moment I’m not sure where I’ve put it.
My husband has a large record collection and I knew it was a rarity so I took it out and put it somewhere but can’t remember where but it definitely exists.
If you are interested will try and find it.
Sure I have seen a picture of this single on the net though.
Kind Regards,
Moira McKeown
Actually, you'll find a couple of pictures on our website! Check 'em out!
Click here: Forgotten Hits: DAVY JONES PRESENTS
Click here: Forgotten Hits: More Monkee-ing Around
Click here: Forgotten Hits: More Of The Monkees ... She Hangs Out (And Other Cool Stuff!)
(kk)

re: SIDEWALK RECORDS:
It seems that perhaps the same team of producers and musicians were working on several of these. Today's mention of "Three In The Attic" is interesting because Christopher Jones, who played Max Frost in "Wild In The Streets", also starred in "Three In The Attic." That's the first movie I attended illegally, being under the minimum age.
David Lewis


re: IF I SAID YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BODY
WOULD YOU HOLD IT AGAINST ME?:
This has always been one of MY favorite Bellamy Brothers songs ... (I thought it was another one of those really clever country song lyrics!) ... and it even had some minor pop chart success (#39, 1979, three years after they topped the charts with their cross-over hit "Let Your Love Flow") ... but it seems to be getting some brand new attention thanks to Britney Spears. What?!?!? Yep, it's true ... sounds like Britney's new song "copies" the spirit of the double entendre and along the way has sparked some interest in The Bellamy's original track ... so much so that over a quarter of a million fans went on YouTube this past week to check it out! Frank B. (our official WCBS-FM Reporter) has all the details here:
Did Britney Spears Rip Off The Bellamy Brothers? – WCBS-FM 101.1
Kent ...
Looking at the lyrics, I'd say yes. What do you think ?
Frank B.



re: FOLK HEROES:
From time to time FH has graciously repeated my quote about seeing your fave raves before it's too late. That thought came to me as I was reading the Phil Ochs piece. I was introduced to his music around 1968, more specifically the song Outside Of A Small Circle Of Friends. I had to learn it on guitar and did, performing it from time to time. Never got a chance to see him perform, I don't know that he ever toured that much and / or got to Chicago. I would have seen him. He wasn't the sort of artist that WLS or WCFL would have promoted. I've read more than one review calling him a third rate Dylan, but I don't think so. Phil chose not to write commercially acceptable material. Check out his rare Canadian LP, Gunfight At Carnegie Hall where he does an Elvis medley and a Buddy Holly medley. It's evident he could have been acceptable to the mainstream, but he felt the war and social causes were too important. His song, I Ain't Marching Anymore, might be the first pop / rock song or at least one of the first to use bagpipes.
A great feature for FH would be first concerts, arena, location etc. I bring this up because the first concert I attended was Simon and Garfunkel at the Civic Opera House in Chicago in July, 1967. If you watched the You Tube clip with Andy Williams, it was exactly as you see it there. Just Paul and Artie, with Paul on guitar. No back up singers or band, like Paul had when I saw him solo in 1972. Guitarists out there, did you see the close up of Paul's guitar playing? He's not using any guitar picks. No flat pick, thumb or finger picks. Yet you hear nothing about his guitar playing abilities. Scarbourough Fair is not an easy song to do. I remember attempting it back in 1968. Forget trying to sing it solo. I've always been a fan of folk music.

Jack

re: JIMY ROGERS:
Kent,
The Jimy Rogers photo slide show is just great stuff!
He will be missed, as he already is!
Clark Besch
It's nothing short of outstanding ... Joan did a GREAT job putting this thing together ... I've watched it several times already. If you haven't seen it yet, hop on over to The Mauds website and check it out. (kk)
Click here: Jimy Rogers - When Something is Wrong


re: OLDIES BANDS:
Normally, we tend to stay away from some of these "cover / sound-alike / tribute" bands and concentrate on "the real deal" here in Forgotten Hits. I've got mixed emotions about it ... many of the artists these bands pay tribute to don't necessarily tour anymore (or at least not with the original members ... or, for that matter, even EXIST anymore ... groups like ABBA, Elvis, The Beatles, The Bee Gees and Led Zeppelin immediately come to mind) ... and, in many cases, these "copy bands" are taking work away from some of the real bands competing for the same audience at many of these summer festivals and such. But on the OTHER hand, MOST of these bands LOVE this music and are simply paying tribute in the way they best know how ... and, to that degree, they're doing the same thing that WE'RE doing, which is everything we can to help keep this great music alive. (We've certainly never had a problem promoting one of OUR favorites, The New Invaders, who pay an incredible homage to this great music that we all love.) So today, we'll tell you about a few of them ... obviously, make your OWN choices as to who you want to go out and see ... I suppose if "the real deal" was coming to town anytime soon, that'd be a pretty easy decision to make ... but sometimes a tribute show (and especially a well-done one) is the next best thing. (kk)
Kent -
Saw "Reely Dan" last night at the Metropolis Performing Arts Center in downtown Arlington Heights. (tribute band of Steely Dan). They were great! Played over two hours of non-stop music. Everyone was on their feet for the last songs.
The driving, charged pop music of the legendary Steely Dan comes alive in this amazing tribute band, Reely Dan. Featured on WGN, they sound EXACTLY like the real thing. With perfect musicianship and execution, you will be amazed by how incredible this band sounds – you’ll feel like you’re seeing Fagen and Becker and the whole band in person.
Tonight is the Piano Man. It’s like seeing two legendary pop pianists in one night, in an amazingly intimate setting! One act from this amazing tribute band is dedicated to Billy Joel and they turn up the glitz and glamour for an all Elton John second act. Sing and dance to all your favorites, everything from “Uptown Girl” and “The Longest Time” to “Benny and the Jets” and “Crocodile Rock.”
On April 22nd, Staying Alive is playing. They look like the Bee Gees, they sound like the Bee Gees and they are considered the best Bee Gees tribute band in North America. Their summer concert at Metropolis sold out in just three weeks and they're coming back for a command performance that you won't want to miss. Be a part of the singing, dancing and fun as Stayin' Alive returns to Arlington Heights.
For a full list of upcoming performances at MPAC go to
http://www.metropolisarts.com/index.php/content/metropolis_performance_list.html It's nice to see that Arlington Heights has a theater with great plays, comedy acts, and musical performances in a local setting. There are also some pretty good restaurants around the Metropolis if you want to take in dinner before the show!
Bill
WLSSurvey@aol.com

Hi,
My name is Corey Crossfield and I work for Miles High Productions which represents the sixties style band, Side B. I wanted to contact you about their debut album, Greatest Hits, featuring their interpretation of some of the great songs of the sixties.
The sixties were an era of rock and roll with such greats as The Beatles, Van Morrison and The Rolling Stones. Known for its raucous good times and good vibes, the sixties encapsulated the perfect groove, something New York based band Side B captures on their debut album.
Formed in 2010 by bassist Robert Miller, Side B consists of Pam Brennan (Vocals), Ken Filmer (Guitar / Vocals) and Sean Gaffney (Drums). The band’s debut albums hosts an array of some of the sixties great songs with Side B’s own interpretation of the music. Some of the songs on the album include their versions of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl”, The Bee Gees' “To Love Somebody” and The Beatles’ “Can’t Buy Me Love”, among some other great songs.
The band’s debut effort is full of original but true to the music renditions of the great songs of the sixties. Side B stays true to the good vibes the music of the sixties means to those who grew up listening to it.
For more information about Side B, you can visit their website here:
http://www.sideB60s.com
Get a free download of Side B’s version of The Bee Gees' “To Love Somebody”: http://bit.ly/dXawrG
Thanks,
Corey

And our buddies The Renditions (who recorded those GREAT traffic jingles for MacKay In The Morning's morning radio program on The River (95.9 FM) have just cut a brand new "Beatles Edition" ... here's a sneak peek! (kk)



re: CONGRATS!:
Olivia Newton-John - Newton-John To Be A Grandmother - Contactmusic News
Kent ...
This is what happens when you get " Physical. "
Frank B.

re: FIRST ARETHA FRANKLIN ... AND NOW ETTA JAMES ...
MORE REPORTS FROM SICK BAY:
riprenfield.com has sent you a link to the following article on comcast.net:
poor etta ...
"At Last" Icon Etta James Reportedly Gravely Ill
Josh Grossberg, eonline
Sadly, the prognosis doesn't look good for R&B legend Etta James.
The "At Last" singer is currently undergoing round-the-clock treatment for dementia and leukemia at her Southern California home, according to her husband. He is now seeking to take control more than $1 million of her assets, touching off a family feud that's spilled into the public eye.
Per a court declaration filed by Artis Mills, James' husband of 41 years, the 72-year-old blues legend's health has deteriorated to the point where she can no longer manage her own affairs.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who has been diagnosed with dementia and leukemia, requires constant care to help her with eating, dressing and other basic functions, per the docs.
Mills is asking for a court order to transfer James' assets to a joint account so that he can monitor spending while Etta's son is asking a third party to do so "to avoid present and future family conflict and discrepancies."
In court papers her hubby stated that he was doing so in order to ensure that he honor the four-time Grammy winner's wish that she not live out her last days in a hospital.
Mills is also asking a judge to reassign the power of attorney James gave to her two sons, Donto James and Sametto James, in February 2008.
The veteran chanteuse has been ailing since January 2010 when she was hospitalized with a blood infection.


And we would be COMPLETELY remiss if we didn't at least mention the passing of David Nelson last week, brother of Ricky and son of Ozzie and Harriet, David was the last surviving member of The Nelson Family that charmed audiences for decades with their long-running television series. Rick, of course, went on to become a very successful rock and roll singer (and inductee into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame). David became a television producer and, after his brother's death, even produced a very moving television tribute to Rick. With Rick's twin sons Matthew and Gunnar scoring a Number One Record in 1990 ("Love And Affection"), they became the THIRD Generation of successful recording artists. Quite a talented family. (By the way, Gunnar and Matthew are coming right here to Schaumburg next month with their tribute to their father ... still hoping to attend that show!) kk

re: AND MEMORIES OF ANOTHER PASSING:
Margaret Whiting -- the singer who sold millions of records in the 1940s and 50s -- has passed away at the age of 86. The big band vocalist, famous for such classics as: Moonlight In Vermont, It Might As Well Be Spring, My Ideal and Slippin' Around, is seen here in the attached photo, just a few years ago with CHARLIE GRACIE and wife JOAN at the legendary JOE FRANKLIN CLUB in Manhattan ... as they were guests on Joe's tv / radio program. Margaret and Charlie actually met twice during their careers ... the previous time being back in the late 1950s on another New York tv program. The entertainment field has lost another colossal artist who left an indelible mark! R.I.P.


***By the way, Charlie will perform in NYC at B.B. KING'S BLUES CLUB with AL KOOPER on Friday, February 11th!

Charlie Gracie, Jr.

re: THE KING AND THE KILLER:
Kent ...
The King & The Killer talking to each other.
Sounds like a phony to me. What do you think ?
Frank B.
Controversy Rages Over New 'Elvis' Recordings TMZ.com

re: SAM COOKE:
Next Saturday would have been Sam Cooke's 80th birthday ... in an on-going campaign to help remember and celebrate all of the great music Sam left us, we're running this reminder from Bob Merlis ... as well as links to our own Forgotten Hits Sam Cooke Tribute from a while back:
Had he lived, Sam Cooke would be 80 on January 22, 2011. Though his tragic death, at the age of 33, deprived successive generations of new music from Cooke, known as ‘the man who invented soul,’ his legacy and influence endure. A feature film biography, based on Peter Guralnick's critically acclaimed book Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke, is in development.
His own catalog of original recordings continues to connect with music consumers who are now offered the possibility of hearing the core of his catalog in high-resolution digital audio by agreement between ABKCO Records and HDTracks. Four albums, Sam Cooke at the Copa, Keep Movin’ On, Ain’t That Good News and the career-encompassing compilation Portrait of a Legend 1951 – 1964 are soon to be available for download in 88.2kHz/24bit audio. Next month, The GRAMMY Museum® in Los Angeles will exhibit artifacts that reflect Cooke's life and music in celebration of his 80th year.
In 1986, 25 years after his passing, Cooke was among the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, alongside Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly. His transition from gospel music to R&B and rock ‘n’ roll was the template followed by soul/urban performers for the past 60 years.
Cooke’s songwriting has stood the test of time with versions of his classic repertoire performed and released over the years by such notable artists as John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Seal, The Animals, Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Tina Turner, Luther Vandross, Bobby Womack, R. Kelly and countless others.
Rod Stewart recently told Rolling Stone, “To explain what Sam Cooke meant to me, it would take a couple of hours just to scratch the surface. The man basically introduced me to soul music. The first time I heard him, his music hit me like a thunderbolt and just slapped me around the head. I was 15 years old, and he changed my life."
Aretha Franklin noted, “Sam was a singer’s singer who strongly influenced many male vocalists. He was loved, respected and revered by artists in the pop and gospel field of music, as well as by his audience, as a unique and extraordinary artist and human being.”
“Sam Cooke is somebody other singers have to measure themselves against, and most of them go back to pumping gas!” quipped Keith Richards while Muhammad Ali succinctly stated, “Sam Cooke was the world’s greatest rock-and-roll singer…the greatest singer in the world!”
Perhaps, Sam Cooke’s most influential song is “A Change Is Gonna Come” which eloquently decried racial discrimination. On the night he was elected President, Barack Obama, clearly was profoundly aware of the song when he invoked its central them stating, “It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.”
The legacy of Sam Cooke will be celebrated throughout 2011 with many radio, retail and online promotions. Check
www.abkco.com for updates.
Click here: Forgotten Hits: Forgotten Hits Remembers Sam Cooke
Click here: Forgotten Hits: The Sam Cooke Tribute Continues Today In Forgotten Hits

This Friday, the 21st, at 9 PM, I will be doing a tribute to Sam Cooke. Really special.

Last Friday night I did a tribute to Nick Santos.
Last night I had a phone interview with Wally Roker of The Heartbeats.
I feel that both were interesting and enjoyable.

Anybody who is interested will find both things posted (plus lots more) on my website: www.ramtownlive.com/popshoppe

And, on February 4th at 9 PM, I will be replaying a tribute I did for Buddy Holly from my old radio station back in 1999.
All this happens on "The Pop Shoppe" www.topshelfoldies.com
Sincerely,
Stuart Weiss

re: THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME:
>>>Well, according to Davie Allan, Knechtel and The Wrecking Crew were NOT part of these sessions, leading me to believe that Paul Wibier's band handled the whole thing. (kk)
Forgive me for correcting you but I actually said that the "Wrecking Crew" and myself were on the "Wild In The Streets" soundtrack but NOT on "Shape Of Things To Come" ... that was Paul Wibier's "Mom's Boys" who apparently toured as "Max Frost". Also, I'm repeating myself about this but I went into the studio (as a robot!!!) and overdubbed the guitar lead on the single and that was released as by me and the Arrows. I say "robot" because the powers that be (or was) said no "fuzz" because it was passe. Expletives go here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks,
Davie
Just to set the record straight, it was the Max Frost single that I was referring to ... we have previously acknowledged that The Wrecking Crew (and Davie Allan ... and Larry Knechtel) performed on the "Wild In The Streets" soundtrack album ... but NOT on the hit single as released as by Max Frost and the Troopers. I was a bit surprised that Wibier and the boys actually TOURED as Max Frost, however ... that had to be kind of bizarre! (Kinda like John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band having to go out on the road AS Eddie and the Cruisers ... which I don't believe they ever actually had to do. At least they still maintained their own identity in the process ... and went on to have a few hits under their own name!) Again, if Paul Wibier would simply get back to us, we could clarify all kinds of stuff here ... but he just doesn't seem interested in doing so. (kk)

You'll find some neat Mike Curb / Wild In The Streets information here: http://www.rimpo.de/secondtime.html

Vibramutant

Yes, this comes from Mike Dugo's EXCELLENT '60's Garage Band Website: www.60sgaragebands.com

re: ON THE RADIO:
Kent,

Just a quick comment to make on Saturday's postings.
One of my pet peeves through the years is when an "oldie" is played and the announcer on duty does not identify the name of the song, artist, group, year, etc. I can just imagine someone driving out in their car and an instrumental comes on. The driver can't think of the name of the instrumental and since the DJ on duty doesn't give out the name or the artist, the listener goes bunkers the rest of the day trying to come up with the name of the song.
Larry Neal
Yeah, I guess this could be ESPECIALLY annoying in the case of an instrumental. (Ironically, a few years back we were going to do an online competition called "The Instrumental Challenge" ... interested readers would have to pre-register to compete ... and then every day we would play a short 20-30 snippet of an instrumental and they would have to identify the tune by both the song title and name of the artist ... we'd just keep going until there was one final winner who could name them all ... never got that off the ground, however, but I still think it might make for an interesting competition. At some point, many of these just blend together ... and even if there's something distinctive about the sound of the artist, you may or may not be able to come up with the song title. I'll have to give this some more thought! (kk)

Thanks to your site, I recently discovered Gerri Bender of Gerri's Place, at WRDV (Radio Delware Valley). To my surprise, she's been a DJ for 18 years! She pleased my ears and my eyes *blush* (take notes, Tom Diehl) :) I happened to catch her show this past week and she plays some recognizable tunes I enjoy!! As I feel, WRDV goes a bit too overboard with obscurities, from Doo-Wop, Soul to even Big Band. The last set of R&B DJ's I mentioned this to, at WIFI-AM 1460 kHz (nearby), they lasted two more weeks then pulled the plug! One half of an Oldies DJ duo up in Trenton, NJ, admits he prefers Classic Rock when he touts the opposite in e-mails. Maybe why they almost pulled that show! Even commercial radio, I contact station managers at WOGL, WMGK and WBEB and tell them there are better sounding, even stereo, versions of some songs they play. One appreciates my input (and corrects) the others I receive some lame excuse or no reply. Not the way to impress and market HD Radio and its listeners. Anyway, enough of my Oldies Radio ranting. This one's for you, Gerri (FH participant), you go girl!!! ...

Best,
Jersey John

Kent ...
You're doing a great job with "Forgotten Hits", but I think it's time you found out about the technical part of radio.
How would you like this job?
Frank B.
http://www.liveleak.com/e/07b_1284580365
Actually, several folks on the list have sent me this clip ... in fact, the first time I got it, I forwarded it on to our radio buddy Citizen Bill down in Huntsville, Alabama ... who's been called out to repair that pesky ol' tower more than a time or two! (lol) Pretty harrowing work ... but I guess SOMEBODY's gotta do it!!! (Personally, I think I'll pass!) kk

The January issue of Keep Rockin' Magazine has two pages about me in their DJ spotlight.
Isn't this nice!!!!!
Stu Weiss
Great article, Stu, congratulations! By the way, Liz and Lou got engaged over the holidays, so congratulations to THEM, too!!! (We run into them at some of the local shows here from time to time ... and I hear Scott Shannon mention their magazine quite often on the air. Two more folks dedicated to keeping this great music alive!)
By the way, their magazine is now fully digital ... for more information, check out the website here:
Click here: Keep Rockin’ Magazine, the 50’s & 60’s nostalgia magazine, 1950's, 1960's, Rock and Roll

re: AND ONE MORE WORD ABOUT TED WILLIAMS:
Hi Kent,
One final rant about this Ted Williams thing. First it should be pointed out that it is (or began as) a radio stunt from one of the best: Dave Kaelin at WNCI in Columbus. As radio stunts go, this certainly beats wasting food or making some lady hold her piss til she's dead to win a gaming system. I'm sure it started organically with the best of intentions, but I feel quite sure the first few "job offers" were cooked (lined up in advance) e. g. Cavs PA announcer gets offered spontaneously? suuuuuureBy the time AP picked up the story, the part about Ted being involved in a radio stunt disappeared, but what did not disappear was the flimsy, original premise offered by WNCI ... that here was a guy with "golden pipes" and a dream of being a radio announcer who evidently chose the crack pipe instead. Everybody loves a redemption story, and I get that bit about the prodigal son, so I'm not going to point out that I have lots of friends with "golden pipes" and dreams who never abused any kind of substance and they can't find any work ... it's just that anybody who's ever been in radio knows that it takes so many other intangibles to succeed that at best this guy was being thrown in over his head ... and at worst just plain old used, in the worst way.
And now we hear he's in rehab ... great ... at this point I'm not sure if it's still a stunt of some sort, maybe by the hand of Doctor Phil ... I joked the other day on your site that radio is more likely the cause than the remedy for homelessness and maybe he'd be best off at barber college ... there's a ring of truth to that ... unless he really has the stuff to roll up his sleeves and give his body and soul to his audience ... God knows he has one now.
If he lands something, let's hope he's not the type of radio guy who uses people for stunts.
Jim Shea

re: AND, IN OUR ON-GOING CAMPAIGN
TO HELP EDUCATE OUR READERS ... :
Here comes THIS interesting tidbit from Frank B!
Turntable Tuesday Tutorial: How Vinyl Records Are Made – WCBS-FM 101.1
Kent ...
If they could only tell us how Hit Records are made, that would be something.
Frank B.

re: THE HISTORY OF ROCK AND ROLL:
Kent,

In your latest comments, the first thing that came to my mind when I read about the History of Rock and Roll being heard on one of your local stations, was a 48 hour show put out in the late sixties by Producers Drake - Chenault. I am not sure but I believe I have somewhere the original 48 hours as it was put on the air. It was announced I believe by DJ Humble Harve Miller. This is all coming to me right now as I type. I could be wrong on some of the information. I am sure you are quite aware of this program. To be quite honest with you, I don't know if Drake - Chenault are still around. I read in the paper years ago that Miller was arrested out West for manslaugter I believe, but don't quote me on that.

Larry Neal
There were a couple of "competing" versions of The History Of Rock And Roll that were circulating around radio syndication back in the early '80's, one of which was put together by regular FH contributor Gary Theroux. (You can read Gary's comments below.) Honestly, I would love to have copies of BOTH of these programs, if only for their historical value. SO many of these artists have left us since this show first aired, making these vintage interviews "timeless" ... and, obviously, something that can no longer be recreated. Sure, the show would need some updating ... but I still believe that this could be an EXCELLENT regular feature as part of oldies radio programming today. Heck, run an hour every Sunday at noon and spread the thing out across the whole year ... and then continue to whet the appetite of your listeners but running Gary's daily "History Of Rock And Roll" teaser snippets Monday thru Friday ... you know, in a DIFFERENT hour than "Today's Forgotten Hit" ... or an "On This Date" Top Five ... spread out this type of programming throughout the days to KEEP listeners tuned in to hear these special features. I guarantee you, you'll become the most-listened-to radio station at work if you aired four or five of these "unique", specialized programs throughout the regular work day. (kk)

Don't know anything at all about The Drive's "History of Rock 'n' Roll." I tuned in for a few minutes and heard Blondie's "One Way Or Another" announced but never heard any artist interviews or in-depth information. I'm curious as to whether this is a homegrown project at that station or some kind of syndicated effort. Too bad they never contacted me during the development process because I could have been a lot of help.
Gary Theroux
It was most definitely a "home-grown" project, put together by the jocks at the station. As you (better than ANYONE) already know, it's virtually IMPOSSIBLE to encompass the History of Rock And Roll in one, single day session ... just WAY to many avenues to explore ... but, being that The Drive is our premier Classic Rock Station in town, I think they did a pretty fine job of catering this special to their listening audience within the constraints allowed to do so. That being said, I sadly missed MOST of it due to our "no radios" policy at work. So here's a COMPLETELY outrageous plea to Bob Stroud (or anyone else over at The Drive who reads Forgotten Hits ... YOU know who you are!!!) for a "screening copy" that I could listen to in order to enjoy the full scope of this project. I'm willing to sign IN BLOOD that I will NOT circulate, distribute, sell or broadcast ANY part of this program ... and that it is SOLELY for my own personal enjoyment ... but the truth is, I'm DYING to hear the whole thing!!! (I heard isolated chapters and most of what I heard was pretty good. Sure, there are certain topics that hold little interest for me ... which is why we all have buttons on our car radios ... and others that could have easily been expanded upon ... but overall, I think they did a pretty good job of covering the essentials.)
Meanwhile, please know that we haven't given up pushing for oldies radio to begin re-running YOUR special either, Gary ... yes, The Drive's piece was all narrative, missing ANY of the exclusive interviews and / or audio clips you were able to provide due to your extensive research. SOMEBODY out there would do well to start airing the ORIGINAL History Of Rock And Roll IN ITS ENTIRETY on a weekly, syndicated basis ... with the daily clips we mentioned above. I'm telling you, there's an audience for this ... and I also happen to know that, with a contract in hand, Gary is more than happy to continue to develop, update and expand these pieces in order to provide a never-ending, open-end series. It's a guaranteed "hit" just waiting to be rediscovered by a whole new audience. (kk)





re: TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:
Your latest idea is a winner. I have been playing your forgotten gems on my program. A few of them we already play on a regular basis. White Lies Blue Eyes is just a killer track! The Underground Sunshine track is better known in Wisconsin. They even appeared on American Bandstand when that was released.
I have a suggestion for a track to feature. "Its a Cryin Shame" by Gayle McCormick. It does not appear that it charted in Chicago and it was only number 44 on the Billboard charts in 1971. It was a big song in Madison, Wisconsin. Perhaps it fits the should have been bigger chart better.
Keep up the good work.
Phil Nee
WRCO FM
Thanks, Phil. We've got lots more goodies coming up. I'm not familiar with the Gayle McCormick track ... you're right, it did not chart here in Chicago.
Gayle's the former lead singer of the group Smith, who scored a Top Five Hit with their version of "Baby It's You" back in 1969.
But just because I've never heard it doesn't mean that we don't HAVE it!!! (lol)
Here it is as a Forgotten Hits "Extra"! (kk)


Hi Kent!!
I am enjoying the newsletter (as always) and I have to smile ... I love the new feature for DJ's. Quite a few of the songs have been part of my playlist for a while! Forgot about the Georgie Fame "Yeh, Yeh." 'tho ... Great song!
DJLady Gerri
And that's really the goal ... to remind you once in a while about one that may have otherwise slipped through the cracks.
You Internet Jocks can get away with a whole lot more "creative programming" on your shows ... we're trying to get some of the "mainstream" jocks to follow suit and push the envelope once in a while. (On the other hand, we'd just LOVE it if you'd do a Forgotten Hits "recap" on your show Sunday Nights ... play all FIVE of our suggestions from the previous week as sort of a special weekly feature ... again, something your listeners might enjoy tuning in for. That goes for you, too, Phil, on your Saturday Night feature!!!) kk

re: VIDEO CLIP OF THE WEEK:
Wanna feel good for a few minutes? Watch this clip!
Kent ...
That's what we need in this world - more hugs.
Frank B.
And what a STIRRING performance of "Hallelujah", too ... EXCELLENT!
(That's Alexanda Burke, by the way, winner of X-Factor ... one of the most powerful performances of this song that I've ever heard.)
Ok, now where's MY hug?!?!? (kk)

Click here: YouTube - Free Hugs in Sondrio, Italy
How amazing is this girl? Watch her X-Factor Video where she performed this song LIVE ... but you'd better grab some Kleenex and keep it handy! (kk)

Click here: YouTube - X Factor 2008 FINAL: Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah: FULL HD