Monday, October 4, 2010

Today In Oldies 10/5/2010

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2.......where Oldies news comes first! 

Where In The World Is.......Zager and Evans?

Zager and Evans were a duo whose one hit had a futuristic, sci-fi-ish sound.  In reality, however, they grew up about as far from outer space as possible.  They met in Lincoln, Nebraska as students at Nebraska Wesleyan University.  Denny Zager and Rick Evans picked up a couple of side men to round out the band, and in 1969 they struck gold.......if only for a moment. 

Their one moment in the spotlight came with a song that was already 5 years old and had been released for over a year when it became a hit.  "In The Year 2525" covered some much deeper themes than what was generally heard on AM radio in 1969.  A cautionary tale about the dangers of technology and innovation, its lyrics ran counter to the major world event that captivated the world when it hit #1 the week of July 20, 1969.... Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walking on the moon.  The song had been written long before the moon landing in 1964, and recorded in 1968 on the Truth Records label.  It finally became a hit thanks to a radio station in Odessa, Texas picking up on it.  The rest of the country soon followed, and RCA Records handled its distribution during its run up the charts.  As of 2010, the single has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.  RCA also signed Zager and Evans to an album deal following the success of "In The Year 2525", proclaiming them to be the "next big thing".  

RCA's "next big thing" didn't even do many little things in terms of chart success or record sales following "In The Year 2525".  They never hit the Hot 100 again, and by the mid-70's, the duo who had a smash hit about the events of the future were a thing of the past. 

Both Denny Zager and Rick Evans remain active in the music industry.  Zager now builds custom guitars, which you can find on the official Zager Guitars website.  Evans has worked primarily as a solo artist, continuing to write, record, and perform. 

From a TV appearance during the whirlwind that was 1969 for Zager and Evans.........

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day

On Oct. 4, 1961, Bob Dylan played the legendary Carnegie Hall for the very first time.  In front of how many people did he perform? 

Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a Comment here with your best guess!

Yesterday's Burning Question (and Answer) of the Day

Which member of a huge 70's musical duo was the only female backup singer credited on Pink Floyd's landmark album, "The Wall"?

Answer: Toni Tenille of Captain & Tenille ("Love Will Keep Us Together", "Muskrat Love")

 

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