Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Everything Oldies......Oldies news first!
- Who's not happy about being snubbed by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?
- Who's the latest artist whose music will be featured in a Cirque de Soleil show?
- Who just sold out Madison Square Garden in 30 minutes?
- Oldies figure prominently in the 10 Best Animated Movie Trailer Songs
- Rod Stewart says he won't be refilling the Cialis prescription, and hints which musical direction he might be heading once he closes the Great American Songbook for good
Where In The World Is.......Gallery?
Detroit has been a rock & roll hotbed over the past 5 decades. Beyond the extensive Motown roster, artists as diverse as Bob Seger, Kid Rock, The Romantics, and others hailed from the Motor City. The city also made its contribution to soft rock, giving the world Gallery. Gallery was primarily a vehicle for lead singer and founder Jim Gold, and in the early 70's, they made a big chart splash.
Gold began writing and playing in various bands around Detroit at the age of 14. By 1971, he was playing regularly with a friend in a club called the Poison Apple when he was discovered by Dennis Coffey, who was coming off the huge instrumental hit "Scorpio" and had played on dozens of Motown classics as a studio musician. He landed a deal with Sussex Records, and while his plan was to be a solo artist, the label told him they wanted a group. He got a band together, featuring bassist Dennis Kovarik and steel guitarist Cal Freeman. Their first hit for Sussex was their biggest. "Nice To Be With You" hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972 and sold over a million copies. As of 2008, the song has been played on radio more than 3.5 million times. A few more modest hits followed, including a Top 20 cover of Mac Davis's "I Believe In Music". Their last trip to the Top 40 was "Big City Miss Ruth Ann" in 1973.
The end of Sussex Records in 1976 meant the end of Gallery. Jim Gold recorded a few solo albums to end the 70's. He hasn't recorded in quite some time, but he does still actively perform live, occasionally writes for other artists, and maintains an official website. Click here to take a look. Dennis Kovarik and Cal Freeman have remained active in the business as session musicians.
In 1972, radio listeners and record buyers decided it was nice to be with Gallery.........
Golden Hits Radio & GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day
By now, most of Generation X knows that "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles was the first video ever played on MTV when the channel went live on August 1, 1981. What was the second?
Check back tomorrow @ Everything Oldies for the answer, and leave a Comment here with your best guess!
What was the #1 song for the week on the debut episode of Casey Kasem's American Top 40?
Answer: "Mama Told Me Not To Come" - Three Dog Night on the weekend of the 4th of July, 1970
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