Today In Oldies 3/9/2012

Golden Hits Radio's Everything Oldies.....Where Oldies news comes first!

•  Friends and bandmates remember Davy Jones.......along with someone who won a date with him in his Monkees heyday! 
  
• Speaking of The Monkees.......their music is hot again!
  
• An artist who provided many laughs in his music says there's not enough comedy on the radio these days
• One musician comes to the aid of another in a battle over royalties
• An iPad 2 with the George Harrison Guitar Collection app could be yours!
• Could another member of the Fab Four have had an eating disorder?  A new book makes that claim.   
  
• Who's the most "Like"d music act on Facebook?  Wouldn't you know......it's a group you hear every day on Golden Hits Radio! 
  
• A 60's legend won't be going Down Under as planned
• A member of a group responsible for a disco classic has died
  

 

ODD JOBS

Before your favorite Oldies superstars became million-selling musicians and singers, they often had to hold down "real" jobs to make ends meet.  Now's your chance to show what a big fan you are by playing our new game, "Odd Jobs".  We'll give you an occupation, and you tell us (via multiple choice) which star once held that job before they hit it big.............

Recording studio janitor - Davy Jones (of The Monkees), Ben E. King, or Harry Wayne Casey (of K.C. and The Sunshine Band)? 

Hospital orderly - Paul Simon, Percy Sledge, or James Brown

Truck driver - Elvis Presley, Fabian, or Dion

 

 

***COMMENT BELOW WITH YOUR GUESSES......WE'LL HAVE THE ANSWERS TOMORROW!***

Golden Hits Radio's Burning Question of the Day

The Beatles weren't the only British Invasion act to make waves on The Ed Sullivan Show.  Which British supergroup made their first of EIGHTEEN appearances on the show today in 1964? 

Come back to Everything Oldies tomorrow to find the answer, and leave a Comment below with your best guess!
 

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

Which group became the first Canadian act to have an American hit in the rock era, which peaked at #2 On March 6, 1957?

Answer:     The Diamonds, with their smash "Little Darlin'"

 

ON THE ROAD - MICKY DOLENZ (of The Monkees)

 

 

"Moondog Coronation Ball" 

Sat 03/31/12  Cleveland, OH  Quicken Loans Arena

Sat 04/07/12  Auburn, WA   Muckleshoot Indian Casino

Appearing at The "Happy Together" Tour 2012

Fri 06/08/12  Columbus, GA   RiverCenter

Sat 06/09/12 Dothan, AL Dothan Civic Center Arena

Appearing at "Riverbend Festival"

Sun 06/10/12   Chattanooga, TN  Riverbend Festival Grounds

Appearing at The "Happy Together" Tour 2012

Thu 06/14/12   Jacksonville, FL  Florida Theatre

Fri 06/15/12  Clearwater, FL  Ruth Eckerd Hall

Sat 06/16/12   Hiawassee, GA   Anderson Music Hall

Sun 06/17/12  Montgomery, AL  Montgomery Performing Arts Centre

Tue 06/19/12  Glenside, PA  Keswick Theatre

Wed 06/20/12 New Brunswick, NJ  State Theatre

Thu 06/21/12 Tarrytown, NY  The Tarrytown Music Hall

Sat 06/23/12 Westbury, NY  NYCB Theatre At Westbury

Sun 06/24/12 Hampton Beach, NH   Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom

Wed 06/27/12 Bangor, ME   Waterfront Park

Thu 07/12/12 Santa Ynez, CA  Chumash Casino

Appearing at "California State Fair"

Fri 07/13/12  Sacramento, CA  Cal Expo

Appearing at "OC Fair"

Sat 07/14/12 Costa Mesa, CA   Pacific Amphitheatre

Appearing at The "Happy Together" Tour 2012

Sun 07/15/12 Prescott Valley, AZ  Tim's Toyota Center

Tue 07/17/12 Sandy, UT   Sandy City Amphitheater

Sat 07/28/12 Asbury Park, NJ  Paramount Theatre

Mon 07/30/12 Bethlehem, PA  Musikfest Cafe At ArtsQuest Center

Thu 08/02/12 Kettering, OH  Fraze Pavilion For The Perf. Arts

Fri 08/03/12 Windsor, ON  Caesars Windsor "The Colosseum"

Sat 08/04/12 Waukegan, IL  Genesee Theatre

Tue 08/07/12 Bemidji, MN  The Sanford Center

Thu 08/09/12 Effingham, IL  Effingham Performance Center

Sat 08/11/12 Manistee, MI   Little River Casino Resort

Appearing at "Kentucky State Fair"

Thu 08/23/12 Louisville, KY  Cardinal Stadium

Appearing at The "Happy Together" Tour 2012

Thu 08/23/12 Louisville, KY  Cardinal Stadium

Fri 08/24/12 Aurora, IL  Paramount Theatre

Appearing at "New York State Fair"

Thu 08/30/12 Syracuse, NY   New York State Fairgrounds

Appearing with Herman's Hermits Starring Peter Noone

Sat 09/29/12 Branson, MO  Tri-Lakes Center

Today In Oldies 10/14/2010

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Everything Oldies......scouring the globe so you don't have to for Oldies news!

• American Idol auditions are underway!  How is Steven Tyler enjoying the new gig?
• The onslaught of music autobiographies continues......... 
• Several artists will celebrate the legacy of John F. Kennedy at (where else?) the Kennedy Center
• A (musical) dream comes true for one of the rescued Chilean miners
• How's this for irony.....Paul McCartney keeping together the marriage involving the woman who broke up the band?!?!?!
• One of Phil Spector's finest has released a new album

Where In The World Is.........Lobo? 

Roland Kent Lavoie was born in Tallahassee, Florida on July 31, 1943.  He was a veteran of numerous bands in and around central and south Florida beginning in 1961, one of which (The Rumours) included both Jim Stafford and country/rock legend Gram Parsons.  Working with producer Phil Gernhard, he went solo in 1969 and changed his name.  That's when success came calling. 

Lavoie changed his stage name to Lobo in 1971.  Working with Gernhard, who had become an executive at Big Tree Records, his first single sent him into the stratosphere.  "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" was a Top 5 hit on both sides of the Atlantic, becoming Big Tree's first major national hit.  His debut album, "Introducing Lobo", soon followed.  After a brief flirtation with concept albums that produced no hits, Lobo went back to the well that made him a star.  He made a triumphant return to the charts in 1972 with "I'd Love You To Want Me", which narrowly missed reaching the top in the U.S., hitting #2 and becoming his second domestic million seller.  It fared even better in Europe, hitting #1 in both Germany and the UK.  The winter of 1973 brought another Top 10 hit with "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend".  Later that year, he scored three more Top 40 hits from his album "Calumet", most notably "It Sure Took A Long, Long Time" and "How Can I Tell Her".  For a two year span, Lobo had become a tried and true hitmaker with the help of Phil Gernhard. 

Lobo parted ways with Big Tree Records in 1976.  He put out several albums in Europe only, then signed with MCA Records in 1979.  His first U.S. album release in four years, "Lobo", produced his last U.S. Top 40 hit, "Where Were You When I Was Falling In Love".  So what did Lobo do when the pop chart was no longer his friend? 

What he did was the same thing many pop stars who fall out of favor do.  He took a shot at country stardom.  Unhappy with the production values on his albums for MCA, he formed his own label, Lobo Records, and moved to Nashville.  The move didn't prove as successful for Lobo as it had for many others over the years.  By the late 80's, he had abandoned country music and Nashville.

While his success in the U.S. was finished, his popularity abroad began to explode in the 90's.  He spent the decade recording for various Asian record labels and toured Europe extensively.  In 2000, he signed with a German label, recording several new tracks for greatest hits compilations and two Christmas songs.  He still tours occasionally in Europe, and his latest album, "Propinquity", was released online September 7th on Stoney Records. 

And now, a man whose name translates as "wolf" singing about a dog.....with karaoke lyrics if you feel inclined to sing along......

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

"Jessie's Girl" was a #1 smash for Rick Springfield in 1981, but the central character's boyfriend in the song was NOT named "Jessie" in real life.  According to Rick, what WAS the boyfriend's real life name? 

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

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

Which R&B legend did the sax solo on Foreigner's 1981 hit "Urgent"?

Answer: Jr. Walker

 

Today In Oldies 10/5/2010

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

• Click this link at your own risk!  It's like riding by a car accident......
• Here's a complete rundown of John Lennon 70th birthday shindigs
• A rock legend.....and one of the rare males who has suffered from and beaten breast cancer.....commemorates Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• If you were making a list of the Top 10 Classic Rock Albums of All Time, would it look like this?  What would you add?  What would you remove?  
• From one British rock legend to another........
• Just give Van Morrison his privacy, and no one will have an injunction filed against them

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")

 

Today In Oldies 10/4/2010

A new week means the Oldies ticker is abuzz at Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2!

• Take Mamma Mia.....replace the music of ABBA with the music of The Beach Boys.....and you have a recipe for a box office smash! 
• Yoko Ono talks to Billboard about her dozens of ways to become filthy, stinking rich off her husband's name
• And now for something we've known all along......the youngsters can't hang onstage with our generation
• Farm Aid turned 25 over the weekend
• Wonder if Oprah will select this for the Book Club?
• Roger Daltrey talks about things in the works for The Who......and some dream collaborations he'd like to try
• Rod Stewart revisits the Great American Songbook once more

Where In The World Is.........Billy Swan?

From his humble beginnings growing up in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Billy Swan was in Memphis hanging out with Elvis by age 20.  By 30, he was being compared to Elvis and even talked about as "the next Elvis".  While that never quite materialized, he has still had a long career in the music business that continues today. 

Writing, performing, and playing live from childhood, Billy Swan's big break came in 1962 when he became friends with Bill Black, Elvis Presley's original bass player.  A song written by Swan that Black and his band originally recorded, "Lover, Please", eventually became a Top 10 hit for Clyde McPhatter.  Swan soon moved to Memphis, and at one time became a friend and employee of Elvis, working on the Graceland estate as a security guard.  He then moved to Nashville, beginning to make his name as a country songwriter with hits for Conway Twitty, Mel Tillis, and Waylon Jennings.  He also diversified his musical portfolio, expanding into producing, where he found success with Tony Joe White's crossover smash "Poke Salad Annie", and band member, playing bass for Kris Kristofferson.  It was his association with Kristofferson that ultimately (and somewhat inadvertently) led to a brief flirtation with superstardom. 

Signed as a solo artist to Monument Records, Billy Swan recorded a song using an RMI organ that Kristofferson and then-wife Rita Coolidge had given him as a wedding gift.  That organ was the driving force behind a song from his first album that became a smash.  Recorded in just two takes, "I Can Help", with its rockabilly feel, hit #1 in the U.S. (on both the Pop and Country charts), Canada, and Australia, and went Top 10 in the UK.  Several major music publications began to hail Billy Swan as "the next Elvis". 

Unfortunately, the "I Can Help" momentum didn't carry Billy Swan much further.  Subsequent singles and album releases went nowhere.  Billy Swan eventually went back to Kris Kristofferson's band.  He has remained active in the music business and collaborates with other famous names occasionally, including Scotty Moore (Elvis's original guitarist), ex-Eagles bassist Randy Meisner, and Jimmy Griffin (formerly of Bread).  His association with Elvis has also had him involved in numerous Elvis tribute projects. 

Today, Billy Swan is primarily a backup and session musician.  He still writes and records sporadically, and in a recent interview, he indicated that royalties have kept he and his family fed over the years. 

From an appearance on The Midnight Special circa 1974, here's Billy Swan's shot at inheriting Elvis's throne as The King..........

Golden Hits Radio and GHR-2's Burning Question 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"?

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

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

In 1975, a group called The Ocean Liners changed their name.  With their new name, their first single hit #1!  What was that new name?

Answer: KC and the Sunshine Band