Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies......when Oldies news matters, it matters where you get your Oldies news!
- Hear a Rolling Stones classic in a whole new way!
- A Rock & Roll Hall of Famer is absolutely giddy about recording his next album!
- Whose lyrics could be worth six figures at an auction next month?
- Madonna's chain of fitness centers opens its first location
- Which former Beatle whose name isn't John, Paul, George, or Ringo might soon have a street named after him?
- Which artist now claims responsibility for, in his words, "two of the worst songs in history"?
Oldies on TV
- Sting - The Daily Show - Comedy Central
- Bruce Springsteen - Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (repeat) - NBC
Where In The World Is.......Rose Royce
Rose Royce is a group of studio musicians put together by Norman Whitfield, Motown's "psychedelic shaman" who moved the label in a more progressive, funk-based direction in the 70's. What was meant to be a one-off group to provide the soundtrack for the 1976 film Car Wash proved to be a more enduring endeavor.
The genesis of Rose Royce came in Los Angeles with a group made up of Henry Garner (drums), Terral "Terry" Santiel (congas), Lequeint "Duke" Jobe (bass), Michael Moore (saxophone), Gwen Dickey (lead vocals), Kenny Copeland (trumpet, lead vocals), Kenji Brown (guitar, lead vocals), Freddie Dunn (trumpet), and Michael Nash (keyboards). They performed under the name Total Concept Unlimited and originally provided the concert backing for Edwin Starr. Once Whitfield became involved, the group's name changed to Magic Wand. Feeling that the band had a missing piece, Whitfield was introduced to a female singer named Gwen Dickey. He sensed he had a star to front the group, and Dickey became lead singer.
In 1976, Whitfield connected with film director Michael Schultz (Cooley High), who asked for his help for the soundtrack to his new film, Car Wash. Whitfield saw this as a way to launch the group he now felt was complete with the addition of Gwen Dickey. In keeping with the theme of the movie, he changed the name of the group once again, to Rose Royce, and success was immediate. The title song from the movie, "Car Wash", is an enduring and timeless R&B classic. It reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of January 1977. It also topped the R&B charts and was a Top 10 hit in the UK. It is one of the most sampled songs in the history of hip hop, and was covered successfully for another movie, 2004's Shark Tale, by Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott.
The group scored another Top 10 American hit off the album, "I Wanna Get Next To You". While they only enjoyed two more minor pop hits, they remained mainstays on the R&B charts and recorded two more successful albums. Infighting within the group became a problem, and lead singer Gwen Dickey left in 1980. The remaining members stayed together and continued touring. They remain a top draw in Great Britain. Earlier this year, Gwen Dickey left open the possibility of reuniting with the group in an interview for the TV One series Unsung. Their latest CD release is a concert album, "Live In Hollywood".
Apparently Rose Royce and I don't get our cars washed at the same place, because I have seen neither a movie star NOR an Indian chief at mine, but regardless, from a 1977 episode of Soul Train..........
Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question of the Day
Which album generated the most #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100?
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
Answer: At 33 years and 7 months, Cher -- First #1: "I Got You Babe" (w/ Sonny Bono) - August 1965 -- Last: "Believe" - March 1999
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