BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS DEDICATED TO THE COLLECTING OF MUSIC, ITS PRESERVATION, AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP
MONTHLY MEETING THIS SUNDAY, MAY 3rd, 2015 2:00 PM HOMEWOOD LIBRARY – 1721 OXMOOR ROAD 35209 NEXT MEETING SUNDAY, JUNE 14th, 2015
THE SECOND SUNDAY LAST MONTH’S MEETING / THIS MONTH’S MEETING
Last month we went down memory lane as BRC member Todd Jones played some radio clips, commercials, air checks, and jingles from his collection of tapes and vinyl from the 1950’s – 60’s radio days. Hearing Tommy Charles and Doug Layton from their days at WAQY, Bill Bolen doing one of his news broadcast at WSGN, and from January 1964 hearing the WSGN Good Guys’ ‘Bomb of the Week’ being introduced – some group called The Beatles singing ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’. Were the bombs supposed to be a dud or an explosion?
As mentioned during the discussion many of the DJ’s from those days don’t have any of their work saved on tape or vinyl. Most of those days are lost. It was good to hear these voices from the past and the memories they brought back. And it’s not over yet. At the May meeting Todd is presenting Part 2 of his ‘radio days’ program. So be there and see what jewels from the past Todd brings to share with us.
PRESIDENT’S UPDATE
On Thursday night, April 16th a number of you got a preview of some of the entertainment that will be on hand for our Record Show in August. We went to Wayne’s Catfish Restaurant in Russellville to hear Travis Wammack and his band. Always great! But also on hand was Dan Penn, fresh from an appearance on the Letterman Show, plus Spooner Oldham, Donny Fritts and other area talent. These guys put on an awesome show to a packed house. We can expect the same when they appear at the Gardendale Civic Center on August 15th. It will be an all-star night as we combine our Hall of Fame induction featuring Sandy Posey and Buddy Buie with a concert for the ages. Elvis Wade who received a standing ovation from The King himself will help us celebrate Elvis Week during what would have been Elvis’ 80th Birthday year, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham will be fresh off a European Tour, and DonnIie Fritts and Travis Wammack and The Snakeman Band will wrap up the night.
Of course all of this is in conjunction with the biggest Record Show in the Southeast. Start planning now to spread the word to join us August 14 thru 16 for our 31st Annual Show. We will need members to make themselves available to get all of the preparations completed. If you haven’t signed up, be ready to find your place to help make this our most successful year yet.
We talked at the last meeting about hoping to include Percy Sledge in the Hall of Fame this year. Sadly we lost him in mid-April to cancer. It is a reminder that many of our great music stars are getting older and will not be with us too much longer. This is the salute to him by the Apollo Theater in New York.
The summer concert season is about to start with tickets on sale for many events already from Barry Manilow to The Rolling Stones. I am working on my bucket list and it is a great summer for you to do the same.
Don’t forget the date for our May meeting was moved because of Mother’s Day. Come May 3rd, the FIRST Sunday at the usual time, 2pm. See you there!
Ray
IN MEMORY OF PERCY SLEDGE
As Ray said in his President’s Update comments we had for a while talked about inducting Alabama’s own Percy Sledge into our HOF and this year we were close to committing to it when we received word of his passing. Rather than me write an obit or give an eulogy I have linked a very informative post from a website called ‘The “B” Side’ done by Red Kelly. Red wrote this post in 2006. I think you’ll find this very informative. Thanks to Red for allowing me to use it. Percy left us quite a resume of great music. We’ll miss him.
http://redkelly.blogspot.com/2006/12/percy-sledge-true-love-travels-on.html
BRC NEWS
2015 Record Show Update We currently have received reservations and payment from 10 Dealers who have reserved 22 tables in the main show room. We also have received reservations from three Dealers who have reserved six tables in the adjacent Azalea/Camellia Room.
Dealers attending last year’s show have priority for renting the same number of tables as they did last year until June 1st. After that date reservations will be open to all Dealers wanting to rent tables. We already have a waiting list for new dealers, and several current Dealers want to rent additional tables for this year’s show. BRC Member Dealers and Dealers receiving this newsletter are urged to go ahead and complete your reservation by returning the completed Dealer Table Agreement Form and rental payment as soon as you can. We have noticed increased interest from other Dealers wanting to attend our 2015 Record Show. You don’t want to be left out!!!
Please contact Joe Reddick at 205-655-3108 or by e-mail at heyjoe1357@aol.com if you have any questions.
The Hall of Fame committee is very excited about this year’s Hall of Fame inductees and the ceremony being planned. As you read in the ‘PRESIDENTS UPDATE’ section of this newsletter we will have an all-star group in attendance with our inductees being Sandy Posey and Buddy Buie. The ceremony will be on a Saturday night this year with a concert being part of the induction. Don’t miss Dan Penn, Spooner Oldam, Travis Wammack, Donnie Fritts, and of course Sandy Posey and her husband Elvis Wade all performing for us. Time and ticket info will be provided next month. It just keeps getting bigger.
LOOKING FOR A 45: There’s a BRC member looking for a 45. Let me know if you have a copy for sale and I’ll get you in touch with them. Bobby Pickett’s ‘Graduation Day’ / ‘The Humpty Dumpty’. Garpax 44175.
MUSICAL MEMORIES FROM THE MONTH OF MAY
It’s May, and like most Mays in years gone by, I think about the music Duke Rumore played on his morning and afternoon drive-time radio show on WSGN. Since he could play whatever record he wanted to play in addition to the current hits, he always did.
He would recognize the High School Seniors graduating in May by playing the following graduation songs: Cap and Gown by Marty Robbins (1959); Graduation Day by The Four Freshman (1956); and Your Graduation Means Goodbye by The Cardigans (1958). He didn’t play these records every day, and rotated playing them on different days and at different times. However, the record he played the most was Cap and Gown. A little known fact about Cap and Gown is Marty Robbins recorded the song three times; twice in Nashville and once in New York. I have all three recordings in my collection, and while they are all very similar in style, it was one of the Nashville recordings that became the version released and played in Birmingham.
Later on in the month, Duke would play Here Comes Summer by Jerry Keller (1959), See You in September by The Tempos (1959), and Summertime – Summertime by The Jamies (1958). It was seemingly the best of times; Graduation and Summer Vacation. What more could you ask for?
I also remember Joe Rumore playing V, A, C, A, T, I, O, N, by Connie Frances when he advertised for Peek’s Motel, “the Pink Palace,” in Panama City Beach Florida. But that’s another story for another time. After I finish this article, I think I’ll play and enjoy my Graduation and Summertime Memories CD that includes all of the records mentioned earlier along with 20 other songs that have Summer in the song title or in the song lyrics. Great musical memories and happy times for those of us who were there and were able to enjoy them.
Terrell Lindsey
2015 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Although I am not a big fan of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame I like to list each year’s inductees. Check out themaideffect.com. As you can see once again the list has some very deserving choices and then there are some I just can’t picture as being a member of a HOF. But since music is so diverse I guess there’s a place for everyone. This year’s inductees are:
Ringo Starr
The 5 Royales
Paul Butterfield band
Green Day
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
Lou Reed
Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble
Bill Withers
UPCOMING RECORD SHOWS
May 22-24. Austin Spring Record Convention. Downton Austin, Palmer Auditorium. 10AM – 6PM. $5. 1-512-288-7288. www.austinrecords.com
June 7. Atlanta Record Show. Marriott Century Center I-85 & Clairmont rd exit 91 Atlanta Ga. 10AM- 4PM (EDST). $3. 1-404-861-3496.
June 7. Allentown Record, CD, DVD Show. Merchants Square Mall 1901 S. 12th St, Allentown, Pa 18103. $3. 10AM – 4PM (EDST). 1-610-530-76060
. August 15-16. Birmingham Record Collectors. Gardendale Civic Center – 857 Main Street Gardendale, AL 35071. $3. 100+ tables. Saturday – 9AM-5PM. Sunday 10AM-4PM.
ROCK & ROLL BIRTHDAYS
Sonny James 5/1/1929 Steve Winwood 5/12/1948
Frankie Valli 5/3/1934 Trini Lopez 5/15/1937
Dick Dale 5/4/1937 Lenny Welch 5/15/1938
Bob Seger 5/6/1945 Pete Townsend 5/19/1945
Toni Tennille 5/8/1940 Cher 5/20/1946
Sonny Curtis 5/9/1937 Bob Dylan 5/24/1941
Tommy Roe 5/9/1942 Stevie Nicks 5/26/1948
Billy Joel 5/9/1949 Gladys Knight 5/28/1948
Eric Burdon 5/11/1941 John Fogerty 5/28/1945
ANOTHER ROCK AND ROLL ERA PERFORMERS PASSES AWAY
Jack Ely, the former Portland guitarist and singer best known for the Kingsmen’s 1960s hit “Louie, Louie,” has died at age 71. His son Sean Ely confirmed the death Tuesday to The Associated Press, saying the Kingsmen singer died at home in Redmond, Oregon, after a long battle with an undisclosed illness. Here’s Ely’s recollection of the recording of the song. “No one else in the band had the record, so I was supposed to show them how to do it,” he told the Bend Bulletin in 1987. He’d been listening to Seattle band Rockin’ Robin Roberts and the Wailers’ version, but apparently not carefully enough. “I didn’t know the song that well and at rehearsal, I ended up showing them wrong. I unconsciously rearranged ‘Louie Louie’ at that moment. I stood there and yelled while the whole band was playing and when it was over, we hated it,” he added at the time. “We thought it was a totally non-quality recording.” Another story about the song was sent to me from a former DJ friend of mine from Chicago: In 1990 a low-powered FM radio station in Morris, IL (far southern suburb of Chicago) changed their call letters to WCFL and adopted an oldies format. To mark the change, they played Louie Louie/Kingsmen over and over again for 24 hours straight!
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
I wish I knew the exact number of years but for a long time now the food and refreshments for our monthly meetings have been prepared for us by Tom Spitzley. Beginning at the May 2015 meeting the chef’s hat will be worn by someone else. With Tom stepping down, each month we will have a different member provide some refreshments and goodies for us. We want to thank Tom for being so faithful over all the years he was in charge of doing this for the club.
HEY! HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE?
Sedates
See ya, Charlie