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Read "Gone and Also ... A Work in Progress" | Claude Hall
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Commentary March 28, 2011 You want to do yourself a favor? But first, let me put in a disclaimer. I’m prejudiced about “Memory Tunes: Almost Country, Awesome Adult Music.” I’ve known this guy – George Wilson -- back to my first few months on Billboard in and around 1964. He was then and he is now one of my best friends. He has been and is still a close confidant. I’ve sought his advice many times and he has always been there good and true. Even if “Memory Tunes” was bad, I’d probably lie and say it was great. Fortunately, I don’t have to lie. Even if I could. Because, just as George Wilson is one of God’s best gifts to modern radio, George Wilson has given us a warm and wonderful music package. You can listen to it at http://www.memorytunes.fm So, treat yourself. But be prepared for the unexpected. I mean “Red Beans” by Marcia Ball is just a little south of country! And Dale Hawkins with “Susie Q!” And then there’s “Little Great Apples” by Roger Miller. And in the mix you’ll find George Jones, Johnny Cash, Tompall Glaser and Ernest Tubb. Heck, I’ll bet that if I tried for a month or two listening to today’s so-called country radio stations I’d never find “Walking the Floor Over You” by Ernest Tubb. The tunes aren’t announced vocally, but there’s a voice on the package I’d swear was that of Chuck Blore. Or maybe Casey Kasem. Yeah … gotta be Casey. If I could find my precious Russ Regan coin, I’d bet that’s Casey. Be nice if someone would give this package a shot on local radio. Keith, do you have a radio station somewhere that isn’t doing all that well? This is a great, great package.
Larry White: “Gary Smith, who worked with Frank Ward in Buffalo for a time, sent this to me today – a photo of Frank Ward at WWOL in Buffalo -- and I thought you would enjoy seeing it. Hard to believe that it will be 20 years ago that Frank passed away … once we reach the fall of this year. He was a good friend to us both.” Like many radio personalities, Frank Ward will never – I repeat: Never – receive the appreciation by history that he is due. First time we met was a luncheon set up by Marty Wexler, at a fancy restaurant in Manhattan. Frank was general manager of the soul station in New York City and he didn’t trust a gooney bird like me at first. After a few minutes, all that went away and poor old Marty was no longer included in the conversation and Frank and I were sort of friends for life. You know what I mean? Great, great man. When he lost that manager’s job, he appeared as a sub for a couple of nights on WNEW-AM and he called and asked me to listen in and I did. So help me, Frank Ward took the records on the playlist and turned them into magic. Everything blended, everything fit. Production was tight, unique and, I understand from others that I’ve talked with over the years, totally Frank Ward. I believe in my heart that he was probably one of the best disc jockeys who ever lived. Keith James, Canada: “I hope you and Barbara are feeling better. Getting old is the shits, but old friends are great! I know Barbara isn't old, but you sure are. Just needed to tell you how much I appreciate you making so many good things happen for so many years and now continuing to keep the memories alive. I think it may have been me that talked you into bringing the Billboard Convention to Canada. Late '60s I believe. I was so impressed with the way you handled everything in LA and I felt your presence on the Canadian side of the industry would help us move forward. And it did! There were just a handful of people (J Robert and me maybe) that knew what a 'shot in the arm' that weekend in Toronto would be for Top 40 Radio in Canada. It's one of my fondest memories from a lifetime in this amazing business of radio. Many years ago your Billboard Column was my introduction to all the big stuff and the ‘Big Guys’ I wanted to emulate in the early days of my career. Thank you for all you have done for your friends in Radio. Best wishes to you and Barbara. Please do take good care of yourselves.” Keith, you and J. Robert Wood were the epitome of what Canadian radio was all about. And maybe one or two others I can’t remember right now. But, quite frankly, I never thought of you or J. Robert as Canadian radio men … just great radio men. Just heard from Woody Roberts, which pleased me immensely. “You and your column kept a network of us together in those days before the internet and expensive long distance calls. Between you and Bill Gavin, I kept track of many friends in the radio and record industry. I have a very strong memory of your Billboard conference in LA Century Plaza ... the Mighty Kahn had just moved on to earn big money in Cincinnati, I was devastated by the loss and needed a visionary program director ... Doug Sahm was there and pulled me into the bar for a beer; when I told him about my problem he said, ‘I gotta a guy you gotta meet. His name is Sonny Melendrez’. Your weekly Billboard reports were important and your friendship was cherished by many through the years. I'm not on the web much and so don't check emails, been enjoying what is left of the once pristine acreage around me. It's being turned into a toll road and a subdivision with elementary school. Will have to move from these woods soon because they'll be gone, it's been a lovely stay. I moved from San Antonio to Austin and this location in '82 when I came to help my friends launch Stevie Ray. Though I had an office at Armadillo World Headquarters in the '70s, I maintained a home office and lived in Alamo Heights. I am very glad to find you are well and happy. I'll contact Bob Weisbuch. Best thoughts always.” Burt Sherwood, Florida: “Hi ... we took a short cruise a few weeks back ... enjoyed it ... but we both got sicker than dogs ... I got put on an antibiotic that would have stopped a freight train. I think it will be a while before we venture to sea again ... but we love the water, so who knows? Food on those ships can be OK to gourmet to yuck ... we have been lucky thus far ... and we are so close to the port that maybe we will forget and give it another ‘go’ ... in a couple of years! Read your column on my favorite ‘Saint’ -- Jack G. Thayer ... I miss him badly, we talked weekly (sometimes daily) for years, when I was employed by him and even when we were on other payrolls ... there will never be another like him! There were so many wonderful people you mentioned, I was honored to be included. I am still out there ... working daily, and trying to get good broadcasters into the fray … glad we are all here. Hugs.” The only thing I found even remotely close to being yuck on a cruise, Burt, was associating with all of those old people. And hah on you, Keith James! I wonder: Are Larry Vance and Dick Kemp anywhere to be found? Wouldn’t mind knowing how to contact them via email. Just heard from Chuck Blore and, while he didn’t give me a medical report about his hip, he did mention that Judy had bought him a Mac laptop. Way to go, Judy! Sam Hale, friend of many who read Commentary, has had a medical setback, but is recovering. At the moment, he’s pretty banged up, so you can email him, but don’t expect an answer real quick. Knowing Sam, he’ll be back on his feet soon. And he would definitely appreciate hearing from you. We all get old. Nothing wrong with that. Especially if we’re lived a pretty good, fairly happy life and done a favor or two for others as well as ourselves along the way. For some, it’s not so easy. My brother Buddy finally was able to afford another airplane. A Comanche. Loved that little plane! He would breeze from Houston where he and Rhuenell live to San Angelo where he and Rhuenell have another home. Just having a ball up there in the air over the hills and prairies of Texas! A sunshine flyer, as he put it. No more wild dives. No more flying with the lights out (as he did once because of some mechanical problem). Now, he has all of the medical woes of the aged. Suddenly. He knows in his heart that he would never be able to pass another physical to keep his pilot’s license. So, he has sold his little red and white plane. He’s car bound. Grounded. I remember quite fondly the days when Barbara and I and often the kids would go camping. We’ve camped out with Bobby and Karen Vee and kids … with Joey and Caroline Reynolds and kids ... mostly just me and Barbara and John and Darryl and Andy. And Popsie. The Sequoias which I used quite frequently to get back to earth … you’re up alongside the stream at Lodgepole and the music of the water rippling through the rocks causes people like Lee Zhito to fade away. Kings Canyon even more so. One of my fondest memories is camping with the Vees at 29 Palms and the kids singing around a campfire one night. A song by a Capitol Records artist. “Slipping, slipping into the future….” In the daytime, the Bluejays provided the music. They didn’t much care for us to invade their domain and let us know it. Hard to think of the good times all gone. Buddy can no longer fly and I’m afraid to even think about camping anymore. Ron Jacobs has a new website he would like you to checkout: http://whodaguyhawaiicom.blogspot.com/ I loved the cruise that Barbara and I took to Hawaii and back, but feel somewhat guilty that I didn’t say, “Stop the boat” and get off and rent a car and go track down Ron Jacobs. Say, “Hi.” Ron, I apologize. Just not as mobile as I used to be. And I never could stop boats very well. Lisa Salazar: “I stumbled upon your website and had to say how neat I thought that it is that you have your ‘Other Matters’ section. It is here that I read the message from Rick Frio, which is a name that I remember hearing as a little girl, in which he speaks of the passing of my Grandfather, Ken Revercomb. How wonderful that you have created this site, and I just had to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope that you are well.” As well as I’m going to get, Lisa. Thank you for the note! Diane Kirkland: “I loved that deli downstairs from the Billboard office, too. I'd always order a ‘regular coffee’ and a bagel with cream cheese and bacon! (I'm surprised they didn't call the cops on me!).” Timmy Manocheo, West Coast, just clued me in on a 12-minutes audio video of KRLA in 1970: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1175390393408 Timmy also sent me a like to a KCBQ bit featuring Lee Baby Simms. He also send the Baby link to Jimmy Rabbitt. Thank you, Timmy. Bud Connell just sent me a 1899 recorded promotional message by Len Spencer selling Edison phonographs. Thinks it may be the world’s first recorded commercial. Just FYI, Bud has a thriller called “Peak Experience: A Novel” available via Amazon.com. Kindle version, too. Good on you, Bud! Dale Tucker sends a link to the Carter B. Smith tribute page; Carter once was a sidekick to Don Sherwood. Pretty big jock in the Bay Area. http://www.bayarearadio.org/audio/carterb/index.shtml Ken Levine’s book “Where the Hell Am I? Trips I Have Survived” is now in paperback at $6.99. Here's the link: http://amzn.to/eoAa1a I’m grateful for the random input of people like Timmy Manocheo, a West Coast deadhead (spoken fondly; my sons John and Andy are deadheads). Timmy sent me a note he’d received from one of his buddies: Cumulus Media is buying Citadel Broadcasting in a $1.7 billion deal that would unite two of the nation's largest radio chains. Atlanta-based Cumulus will own 572 radio stations in about 120 U.S. markets once the deal closes. Clear Channel currently owns more than 800 stations. The problem with this kind of thing is the deal promises the American public absolutely nothing. I thought we owned the airwaves? Turns out we own nothing. The dollar dodos have taken the airwaves away. I don’t like the deal, but any deal should promise if not guarantee the public something useful, something new, something interesting. Instead, the lack of programming creativity and public service among these dollar dodos is astounding. Worse, they are boring me to death. Elizabeth Taylor, for the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1993: as she accepted it, she told a worldwide television audience: "I call upon you to draw from the depths of your being — to prove that we are a human race, to prove that our love outweighs our need to hate, that our compassion is more compelling than our need to blame." She was 79. We come, we do, we go. Barbara, while walking her little Chihuahua in the complex, saw an elderly lady prowling through the trash cans for aluminum cans. We have quarters in the Buick to hand out to people on street corners and Barbara carries food bars in her little Toyota. It is to cry. Barack, get in gear, dammit! e-mail claude@claudehallonline.com |
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