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From the Archives – Interview With Ben E. King
There aren’t enough “O’s” in smooth to describe the voice of Ben E. King. He was born Benjamin Earl King in North Carolina. During his brief time with The Drifters (1958-1960), he sang on only about a dozen songs – but what songs they were. He sang lead several of their hits, including There Goes…
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Nice Day for a Party…Isn’t It?
Hamilton’s iconic punk band Teenage Head is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. I’m not sure how that’s possible, but I did the math. 2024 minus 1974 is indeed 50. I swear I’m still in my late teens. I feel the same age I was when I first heard Picture My Face. Although, when I…
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Who Will Rock the Hall in 2024?
Like most, I started paying attention to music when my age hit double digits. It’s those years between the ages of 11-21 that I define as my “sweet spot” for music. It’s music from that era that brings back the best memories. You probably have your own era that you consider the most special when…
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Artimus Pyle: The Living Legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd
The one time U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant doesn’t want anyone to forget the legacy of Ronnie Van Zant and Lynyrd Skynyrd. His connection with the band, especially Ronnie Van Zant, Bob Burns, and Gary Rossington is profound. This bond was the inspiration for the new album from the Artimus Pyle Band, Anthems: Honoring the Music…
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Tony Orlando: On the Dawn of Retirement
Tony Orlando and Dawn were AM Radio Gold in the early to mid 1970’s. But there’s more to Tony than his radio friendly hits. As you’ll hear in the podcast, he can trace his success back to advice given to him by his grandfather, and, believe it or not, comedian Groucho Marx. Tony’s career started…
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Dorothy Moore: Her Success Was Like “Going to the Fair”
There’s more to Moore’s career than Misty Blue. Born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1946, her singing career started well before her success in the mid 1970’s. She was introduced to singing by her parents. Her Dad sang with the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi and her Mom sang in church. When she was five, her…
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Doug and the Slugs: 50,000 Slug Fans Can’t Be Wrong (With Me, 50,001)
Try to think of only one word to describe the music of Doug and the Slugs. The twelve words listed on the back of the slug on the front cover of Slugcology 101: A Decade of Doug and the Slugs is a good place to start. That said, there is at least one word missing…
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Remembering Chad Allan (The Guess Who)
I was truly sad to read about the death of Chad Allan late last year. He was born Allan Peter Stanley Kowbel in Winnipeg in 1943, but he changed his stage name to Chad Allan. He was a founding member of both Guess Who and Brave Belt; the latter would morph into Bachman-Turner Overdrive. He…
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A Christmas Offering from The Cowsills
The Cowsills are busy folks. In 2022 they released their first album in 30 years called Rhythm of the World. This year the family kept a full touring schedule and continued to host their weekly podcast. You can keep up with their hectic calendar at cowsill.com. They recently released their new (digital only) holiday EP. It’s…
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Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon: Master Storytellers “Together” For the First Time
Funny where life – and its curveballs – can lead you. Tom Paxton and John McCutcheon have known each other for decades, but it took the pandemic and technology to bring them together as a songwriting team. The result was worth the wait. Photo Credit: Micheal G. Stewart Since touring wasn’t possible during COVID, the…
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Da Da Da – Trio (1982)
A truly polarizing Steel City 45 – it’s either Yay or Nay. For some, this quirky song was minimalist new wave that made them turn up the volume. For others, it was simply annoying and gave them a reason to change the radio station. But it was appealing (and catchy) enough for Volkswagen to use…
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Danny O’Keefe: A Best Friend in Good Time Charlie
Danny O’Keefe may be one of the most underappreciated and overlooked American folk singer/songwriters of the 1970s. Photo Credit: Davis Freeman My introduction to his music was the 1972 Top 10 Billboard hit Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues. The song has been recorded by many, including Elvis Presley. O’Keefe says that Waylon Jenning’s version…
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Felix Cavaliere: Still Groovin’ After All These Years
Photo Credit: Leon Volskis As a member of The Rascals, Felix Cavaliere is music royalty. Along with Dino Danelli, Eddie Brigati, and (Canadian) Gene Cornish, the group has been enshrined in The Grammy Hall of Fame, The Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They were (satirically) inducted into…
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Sandy Deanne: Still Making Magic Moments with Jay and the Americans
My interview with Sandy Deanne almost never happened. First, there were email issues. When we actually meet on Zoom, my Internet router reset itself halfway through the interview. A couple of days later, flooding in New York City knocked out his internet. The following day, we finally connected and had a great conversation. The interview…
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Vintage Voices From Hamilton Radio One: CKOC’s Dave Smith
Dave Smith’s began his radio career in Simcoe – his first gig was working as the morning personality at CFRS. After some time at CKBB in Barrie, Dave moved to Hamilton and CKOC career in 1972 working evenings. Over the next 30 (or so) years, he many positions at CKOC, including both morning and afternoon…