Sunday, May 5, 2013

The Sunday Comments ( 05 - 05 - 13 )


re: HEY, NOBODY SAID THIS WAS GOING TO BE EASY!!!:  
Sounds like our final round of TV Themes threw some of you for a loop! That's because there was some awesome (and stiff!) competition up near the top of the list.  
Be sure to check back on Wednesday to see the final results ... and tune into The True Oldies Channel as Scott Shannon counts 'em down live on the air!  
Click here: Music Site      

Damn!! This is fucking tough doooode!!!! So many of them are great!!!!  
Mike 

Even Art Roberts' top 3 most requested could not match the tension of picking three from this great list of Tv themes. ALMOST every one is classic to me.
Clark  

kk,
This is torture, limiting us to three from this list!
1. Bonanza
2. Mission: Impossible (which is how I'm feeling right now)
3. Batman
Dann
ranking-the-60s.com  

3??? ONLY 3???? THIS IS SOOOOO DIFFICULT!!
Shelley J. Sweet-Tufano 

Can't wait to see and listen next Wednesday (which is also my 65th birthday) to get the final results.  
Bill T. 

Thanks ... this was fun!  
Stacee 

Looking forward to the winners  
Jennie  

Hello Kent,  
I love this idea! Here are three additional votes from me: 
1. Have Gun Will Travel (Palladin?)  
2. Bonanza 
3. Mr. Ed  
My real favorites for which I have already voted:  
1. Happy Trails (Roy Rogers Show)  
2. Around the Corner (looking for Mr Lee, Beanie & Cecil Show  
3. Mickey Mouse Club Song (I am not a fan of Disney but when it was on it was hot!)  
Heck now another has come into my head, this is contagious ! great memories how lucky are we?  
1. Davy Crockett  
2. William Tell Overture (Hi-Yo Silver) The Lone Ranger  
3. The Twilight Zone Theme  
Have a great weekend ! looking forward to the final results almost can't go wrong !  
CharlieOFD 

Hey Kent,
Thought the readers would like to hear the theme from that great sci-fi mini-series from the late sixties, "The Prisoner", starring Patrick McGoohan. Music from that show has stuck in my mind over the years. Hope some of you remember it.
- John LaPuzza
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr5QVAk0tuk
 

With less than 24 hours to go before the polls close, here are a few cool things I noticed about the voting as I tallied up the votes late Friday night:  
Get Smart currently has 86 votes ... hmmm ... wonder if it'll get to 99?  
Have Gun Will Travel has 145 votes ... which was pretty much one of the logos for the show, right?

One 45???      

Greetings from Taiwan,  
I am so excited to have been introduced to your great, informative, and fun website.


What an amazing journey down memory lane for me.
Here's my vote or the Top 3 TV Themes:
1) Peter Gunn
2) Mission Impossible
3) M*A*S*H  
There are so many good themes on the list of finalists. And, voting for them is so subjective and even mood dependent. For me, I used a criterion of both what I considered to be 'best' influenced by what are my 'favorites'.  
I wonder what my top 3 would have been had I voted on a different day at a different time. Maybe I'll find out in The Twilight Zone. 
Keep up the great work. 
Best wishes, 
Warren    

Love that you've been getting your readers to vote on their favorite TV Themes! I've always been a big fan of the small screen and a few of the themes that made the cut so far are ones that I very much like as well. Personally, it's the off-beat instrumental themes for drama series that I've always favored over the more corny sitcom themes, so my last-minute votes from the final FH list would have to be for the following three:
1. HILL STREET BLUES THEME (Gotta love those great TV themes written by MIKE POST)
2. LAW AND ORDER (Another great MIKE POST theme)
3. MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (a great theme written by movie and television music icon JERRY GOLDSMiTH, who also wrote the theme from the 60's drama Dr. Kildare and countless other memorable TV and movie themes and soundtracks)
My own two personal favorites didn't make the cut. Both are more recent and written by TV and movie music maven THOMAS NEWMAN. I like both these haunting and hypnotic themes about equally. The first is the theme from the cool and quirky HBO series SIX FEET UNDER, which aired for five seasons from 2001 until 2005. It won the 2002 Emmy Award for the best main title theme and two Grammy Awards in 2003 for best composition and best arrangement of a TV title theme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYAe0qwg9Yw

The second theme, with a slight edge over Six Feet Under as my own number one favorite is the theme from BOSTON PUBLIC, another great drama series that aired for four seasons on FOX during the same years as Six Feet Under The show premiered in 2000 and lasted for four seasons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJigbECLCTw
I can't praise the work of Thomas Newman enough. Of course he's best known for writing the score for one of my favorite movies of all time, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. Check out his Wikipedia page and you'll see an amazing collection of music. Not too many know that Thomas is a member of a true musical family dynasty, being the son of composer ALFRED NEWMAN, brother of composers DAVID NEWMAN and MARIA NEWMAN, the nephew of composers LIONEL NEWMAN and EMIL NEWMAN and cousin to tunesmith RANDY NEWMAN. (In fact, it was Thomas' dad Alfred who recommended Man From U.N.C.L.E. writer Jerry Goldsmith as a composer to the head of Universal Pictures Music Department after being impressed with Jerry's work on the TV show THRILLER.)
So now I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for the final results ... and, of course, hearing our old friend SCOTT SHANNON count 'em down on the air! 

Joe Klein  

And, speaking of cool stuff on the radio ...   

re: A to Z:  
The Drive is promising lots of new titles from their extensive Classic Rock Library when they kick off their next edition of A to Z on Tuesday (May 7th) at 4 pm. Lots of surprises are usually in store ... and no repeats for at least a week. You can Listen Live here: Click here: 97.1fm Chicago - The Drive - WDRV  

Kent ...  
Have you ever heard this one before?
In honor of the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, WCBS-FM is having a Win / Place / Show Weekend. Every hour they play the top three songs from a different year.
Saturday morning, 5:35 on my clock radio, Big Jay Sorenson played 1981 =
 
Show - Being With You - Smokey Robinson
Place - Just The Two Of Us - Bill Withers & Grover Washington, Jr.
Win - Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
Once again I have to say good job WCBS-FM. What do you say?
Frank B.
 
It seems to me they did something similar to this last year ... only instead of the top three of the year, it was for a given week ... but I'm just going from memory.  
I wonder what they based their Top Three Songs on for 1981. The Year-End Billboard Chart showed "Lady" by Kenny Rogers at #3, "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie at #2 and "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes at #1.  
Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual pegs them as "Endless Love" (#3), "Bette Davis Eyes" (#2) and "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John at #1. I just don't see "Being With You" by Smokey Robinson and "Just The Two Of Us" by Grover Washington, Jr., both #2 pop hits, as being big enough to rank that high on anybody's year-end list (which makes me wonder if they're just making it up as they go!!!) Check further, I now DO see these three songs ... listed in that order ... as the Top Three Hits in Billboard for the week ending May 16th ... so maybe THAT'S what they're actually doing (???) That'd be my guess.  (kk)

Today I read an article in the New Yorker about a certain Broadway actor and I was struck by the description of his craft. He said he was merely a “meat puppet!” I couldn’t help but notice the similarity between what he was doing on stage and today’s dj’s! He said, “Being a meat puppet” is a life where someone else gets to live in your brain and you abandon yourself. "Sure," he said, “it’s your own specific voice but its so unsatisfying.” Now doesn’t that describe reading liner notes and playing five songs in a row, followed by station ID? A vocal meat puppet?  
Clunk 


Did you listen to WRLR on Saturday for our "Walk Don't Run Marathon"? Whodathunk we could have come up with a hundred songs that featured either "walk" or "run" in the title?!?! But we did it ... and Phil Nee did a GREAT job of playing them all for you. Special thanks again to Bish over at WRLR for making it all happen.  (We hear the station got a very positive response to the special... and it gave them a chance to play some songs that they haven't played on the air in a long, long time. 
And earlier in the day we were blown away by the variety of some of the oldies they were playing ... we heard classic rock hits by artists like Fleetwood Mac and Kenny Loggins played back-to-back with vintage classics like "The Poor People Of Paris" by Les Baxter! Wow! (And somebody asked me if I had ever noticed how much the melody of "The Poor People Of Paris" sounded like "Flowers On The Wall" ... no, I hadn't ... but now that it's been pointed out, there are some very definite similarities. Listen for yourself and see if you agree!) kk








re: LAUGHLIN:  
Our FH Buddy Joe Klein just sent us a blurb on all of the oldies entertainment appearing in Laughlin, Nevada these days. It seems to be an entertainment haven for oldies artists of late. (In fact this weekend Brenton Wood was there ... and Tony Orlando is coming back soon!)  
Check out all the details here:  

Hi Kent.
It's great to be receiving your email notifications once again! Thanks for updating my contact info since it changed! It's cool to be back in the "FH Loop" again after several months of absence.
As you know, after decades in L.A,, I moved to Bullhead City, AZ ten years ago. I live just across the CO River from the casinos of Laughlin, NV. It's just a couple of miles from my front door to the Laughlin strip, which I visit at least a couple times every week. By playing the slots from time to time at a few of the area's hotels, I get tickets to many of the shows and events going on in the area. It's been a while since I wrote about what's going on around these parts, so I thought I would provide you and the FH community with an update.
Since sprouting up from the desert soil in the mid-eighties, the "Laughlin Strip" adjacent to the Colorado River has been host to scores of great oldies shows and classic rock concerts. In fact, three years ago, the entertainment scene started notching it up with the addition of three new concert venues (in addition to the two outdoor amphitheaters that have been in place for a couple of decades). In the fall of 2010, the Riverside Hotel began erecting a temporary outdoor amphitheater on the top floor of their parking garage which seats nearly 3,000 people ... and now plays home to several great acts for a couple of months every spring and fall. Two years ago, the Edgewater Hotel opened the area's first large, indoor concert and convention venue, called the "E-Center," which also seats nearly 3,000. This year, another large outdoor amphitheater was erected on a vacant lot between the Golden Nugget and River Palms hotels with the largest seating capacity of all the local venues, about 8,000 total. Reba McEntyre performed to a sold-out crowd under the stars at the venue's inaugural concert back in March.
Last weekend was the big annual Laughlin River Run, the biggest gathering of bikers west of Sturgis. The latest incarnationion of BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS and FOGHAT appeared as a double bill at Harrah's Hotel's Outdoor Rio Vista Amphitheater.
Also during the big biker weekend, the E-Center featured country star TRAVIS TRITT Friday night, and Saturday night was a true "FH experience" with the return of CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISITED (featuring original CCR members Doug Cosmo Clifford and Stu Cook). It's the second time the classic rockers have appeared in Laughlin in the last six months, playing all the CCR's classics to SRO crowds of enthusiastic fans at both shows. This touring band is one of the best in the country now and is a "must-see" for any fan of the original 60's band.
This "Cinco De Mayo" weekend sees the return of another beloved FH fave, BRENTON WOOD, to the Tropicana Express Hotel. He's appeared at the property twice before, entertaining his die-hard fans with his vintage 1967 hits, the Oogum Boogum Song, Gimme Little Sign and Baby You Got It, plus a whole bunch of additional classic R&B.

FH favorite Tony Orlando returns to Laughlin the following weekend for his third visit in the last few years, with a concert at the Edgewater's E-Center on Saturday, May 11. The weekend after that marks the latest return of rocker JOAN JETT, who is appearing in a double bill with THE STEVE MILLER BAND on Saturday, May 18 at the new Laughlin Amphitheater. I've seen Joan play at the Rio Vista amphitheater venue twice before, and haven't seen Steve Miller perform in almost thirty years, so I'm REALLY looking forward to this show!
Here's a list of additional shows coming to Laughlin in the next few weeks (and months). Remember that appearing are the latest incarnations of the band's listed, so you may want to check online for information on the current personnel of each act and which of the band's original members are included in the current shows:
WAR - Friday May 24 at the Avi Hotel / Casino
COLLECTIVE SOUL - Saturday May 26 at the Edgewater Hotel E-Center
FOREIGNER - Saturday June 1 at the Riverside Hotel Amphitheater
REO SPEEDWAGON - Saturday Jone 8 at the Edgewater Hotel E-Center
SPIN DOCTORS - Saturday June 15 at the Tropicana Express Hotel Theater
LOVERBOY - Saturday June 15 at the Avi Hotel/Casino
RICKY NELSON TRIBUTE (FEATURING MATTHEW AND GUNNER NELSON) - July 2 thru 7 at The Riverside Hotel Celebrity Theater
MARTINA McBRIDE - Saturday June 22 at the Edgewater Hotel E-Center
BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY - Friday July 5 at the Tropicana Express Hotel Theater
WILLIE NELSON - Saturday August 17 at the Edgewater Hotel E-Center
GIN BLOSSOMS - Saturday August 31 at the Tropicana Express Hotel Theater
LYNARD SKYNARD - Saturday September 21 at the Edgewater Hotel E-Center
BILL MEDLEY - October 9 thru13 at the Riverside Hotel Celebrity Theater
THE LETTERMAN - October 15-20 at the Riverside Hotel Celebrity Theater
TOBY KEITH - Saturday October 19 at the Laughlin Amphitheater
And here's a list of other notable major (and otherwise legendary acts) that have graced the Laughlin scene over the last few years (not in any particular order). I think I got most of them, but it's quite possible I missed a few. A few of the acts will be appearing again during the next twelve months:
PAUL ANKA, TONY BENNET, DAVY JONES, DAVID CASSIDY, TOMMY JAMES, FELIX CAVALIERE, THE DOOBIE BROTHERS, CHUBBY CHECKER, JOHNNY TILLOTSON, THE INK SPOTS, THE DIAMONDS, EL CHICANO, MALO, ERIC BURDON, BILL MEDLEY, FRANKI VALLI, JACK JONES, VICKI LAWRENCE, SMOKEY ROBINSON, THE FOUR TOPS, BEACH BOYS, ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK, RAY MANZAREK AND ROBBIE KRIEGER, HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS, SHEENA EASTON, KENNY LOGGINS, MICHAEL BOLTON, HEART, GRETCHEN WILSON, BRETT MICHAELS, TED NUGENT, ZZ TOP, CHEAP TRICK, BLUES TRAVELER, BACHMAN AND TURNER, COUNTRY STARS LIANN RIMES, RANDY TRAVIS, CLAY WALKER, JOSH TURNER, CLINT BLACK, MONTGOMERY GENTRY, MERLE HAGGARD, KELLY PCKLER, COMEDIANS BILL COSBY, BILL ENGVALL, GEORGE LOPEZ, ROB SCHNEIDER, BOB SAGET, RITA RUDNER, TIM CONWAY, HARVEY KORMAN and THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS.

Pretty decent list of headliners, to be sure, and I know ... this all sounds like a big hype or ad for Laughlin, but it's not. I'm not affiliated with the Laughlin Tourism organization, Chamber of Commerce or any of the strip properties. I just really dig this crazy little corner of the world I call home and have always enjoyed turning other people on to the scene here, especially the entertainment. Frankly, I'm always surprised that there are so many out there who don't even know this place exists. But many who have visited here call Laughlin the "Branson of The West" and, much like Branson, the local hotels have always catered to the growing numbers of (retired and soon-to-be retired) baby boomers. Hotel room rates and concert ticket prices are reasonable, especially when compared to nearby Las Vegas, and the atmosphere is far more laid-back than our hyperactive neighbor to the north.
Being a big fan of pop music from the 60's, 70's and 80's myself, it's obvious what's keeping this old dog hangin' round here! Laughlin has quietly established itself as a mecca for the music of our lives. With a never-ending lineup of oldies and classic rock acts to see, I've thought of it as a place of interest for "Forgotten Hitsters" for years. Maybe one of these days I can convince one or more of the local casinos to consider the idea of putting together packages or promotions targeted directly at oldies and classic rock fans. How cool would that be?
I'll keep y'all posted! Meanwhile, there's a weekly magazine (which is handed out free in all the casinos) called the LAUGHLIN ENTERTAINER, which has listings of all the acts appearing in town and decent stories about the biggest headliners. It's actually a pretty slick publication (for such a relatively small market and audience), and the entire magazine, ads and all, can be viewed online, here:
http://www.laughlinentertainer.com/
Happy Cinco De Mayo and my best to all!
-- Joe Klein
Wouldn't it be cool if we could get some the venues out in Laughlin to put together a couple of special packages for Forgotten Hits readers to come out and see some of this great, oldies entertainment?!?!? I know that I'D sure love to go!
Happy to pass the info along, Joe ... now tell all the big-wigs out there to check out our Forgotten Hits webpage coverage ... see the way we cater to the oldies community ... and get back to us with an offer we can't refuse!!!! (kk)



re: ANOTHER ONE GONE:
From FH Reader Dean Milano:
Just got word from Linda Ulreich that we lost one of the icons of Chicago music today. Jeff (Geoff) Boyan passed away after a long hospital stay. He was 66 years old.
Jeff was a member of two of my favorite bands - Saturday’s Children and H.P. Lovecraft. My band opened for the Children back in the 1960s and I was lucky enough to see him with Lovecraft several times. He was one of my musical heroes.
I got to know Jeff while I was writing my book on the Chicago music scene several years ago and he and I quickly became friends. I got to meet him at my Abbey Pub book signing event in 2009. He was a very gentle and kind soul.
I had been performing a song in my show that he had written called Blue Jack of Diamonds and I was thrilled and honored when he heard me sing it on two separate occasions. He told me - You didn’t just sing my song, you made love to it. I’m going to attempt to sing the song this Saturday night in Woodstock, but I know it’s going to difficult getting through it.
He wrote many wonderful songs, among them Dennis Dupree From Danville, which was a big hit for the Cryan’ Shames, of course.
Dean Milano


re: THIS AND THAT:
Monkee-mania continues this summer when Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork return to the concert stage to reprise classic hits like "Last Train To Clarksville," "I'm A Believer," "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone." A full multimedia evening of music, rare films and one-of-a-kind photographs culled from the archives, the show will also feature deep cuts from their first five platinum albums (including some performed for the first time since the 1960's) and fan favorites from the soundtrack to their cult film classic HEAD. Plus, a few surprises! 

Hello Kent.
I've written and published a book entitled Inside the Songs of the Sixties and I think it's a perfect fit for your fabulous blog and all of your readers. In fact, maybe we can even do a free contest give-away ... I'll send you a couple of sign copies that you can give away to your readers as you see fit. Sound good?

Sounds great to me, Brian! And I'll be happy to post a review on the FH Website as well! Thanks. (kk) 


 And, speaking of new books, got this from Tom Cuddy ...
In his memoir Anyone Who Had a Heart, Burt Bacharach, one of the greatest songwriters of all time, offers a frank and riveting account of his unparalleled life. From his tumultuous marriages and the tragic suicide of his daughter, to his collaborations with Hal David, Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Diamond, Elvis Costello, and others, Bacharach details his long-lasting success as well as the never-before-told stories behind the hits. Candid and emotional, and with 16 pages of color photographs, Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music is Burt Bacharach in his own words — a powerful and personal look at the award-winning songwriter and composer.

We told you about this one a few weeks ago ... and now it looks like they've sweetened up the line-up just a little bit further. What a GREAT show this would be to see!
SAIL ROCK 2013 TO FEATURE TIDAL WAVE OF HITS ...
THIS SUMMER WITH PERFORMANCES BY CHRISTOPHER CROSS, ORLEANS, GARY WRIGHT, FIREFALL, JOHN FORD COLEY, ROBBIE DUPREE AND PLAYER  
What do you get when you combine such classic songs as "Ride Like The Wind," "Still The One," "Dream Weaver," "You Are The Woman," "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight," "Steal Away" and "Baby Come Back?" 
An amazing flashback concert spectacle called the SAIL ROCK tour featuring Christopher Cross, Orleans, Gary Wright, Firefall, John Ford Coley, Robbie Dupree and Player. 
Nothing but hits with the original voices. 
In the summer of '76, no matter where you were in America, it was likely that you were listening to many of those hits on your favorite radio station ... "Still The One," "Dream Weaver," "You Are The Woman" and "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" along with Gary Wright's "Love is Alive" were all staples of the summer. 
Although you might have already been familiar with Orleans from their hit song, "Dance With Me" from the year before and Gary Wright due to his work with the British band, Spooky Tooth, it was 1976 that most of the artists became well-known with their hit singles and considerable chart success. 
Here it is, well over three decades later, and not only do fans and followers remember the songs, they recollect the great memories that often come along with them. 
Now's your chance to relive some of those good times with an evening of SAIL ROCK. 
Featuring seven artists who boast a combined thirty Top 40 hits, along with sixteen Top 10's and three chart-topping singles, the inaugural SAIL ROCK tour is expected to begin in early July (see current itinerary below). 
Christopher Cross was by far the biggest new star of 1980, virtually defining adult contemporary radio with a series of smoothly sophisticated ballads including the #1 hit, "Sailing." That year, his self-titled debut album, Christopher Cross, spawned no less than four Top 20 singles, including "Ride Like The Wind," "Never Be the Same," "Say You'll Be Mine," and, of course, his biggest hit off the disc, "Sailing," which ultimately garnered Cross one of his five Grammy Awards (1981) for Song of the Year. The Grammy honors, which included Best New Artist, would be an unprecedented and record-setting achievement. Christopher soon scored his second number one hit, as well as an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award, with the song, "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)," for the popular Dudley Moore comedy movie, Arthur. In 1983, Christopher would have another Top 10 song with "Think of Laura," a song featured prominently in the daytime drama, General Hospital. In all, Christopher Cross had eight songs on the Billboard Top 40 charts between 1980 and 1983. Four years, two albums, eight hit singles, several world tours, five Grammy's, and one Oscar marked Christopher's meteoric rise to the top. Throughout the years, he has remained a unique artist, replete with that confounding blend of sensitivity, determination and conviction of his own artistry. Christopher continues to record and perform, averaging about 100 live shows per year. 
From their earliest days as a favorite at colleges and clubs in the Northeast US … to studio and live collaborations with industry greats Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Little Feat and others ... to Top 10 success with bona-fide classics such as "Still the One" and "Dance With Me" ... now celebrating their 40th year of creating musical history together, Orleans has continually demonstrated “depth." "Depth": A word used to describe sports teams who are multi-dimensional, movies that must be seen many times, art that continues to reveal hidden meaning. In the throwaway world of Rock & Roll bands, how often do you see real depth? For the past four decades, Orleans has defied industry pundits and career counselors by doing many different things well.   They've been performing live nearly every year since 1972, always with at least half the original members. They do it the old-fashioned way ... they sing and play their own stuff. Their oldest fans are bewildered and amazed at the fact that they still sound as good as (or even better than) ever … especially their vocals! Younger fans are simply impressed. Everyone agrees ... these guys “still have it”. 
Although he's probably best known for his massive hit, "Dream Weaver," Gary Wright originally hit the popular music scene in 1967 as the singer and keyboard player for the band Spooky Tooth. In 1970, he would perform at the famous Isle of Wight festival with the band. Prior to the breakup of Spooky Tooth in 1974, Gary was invited to perform piano on George Harrison's solo classic, All Things Must Pass. In 1975, Gary released his first solo album "The Dream Weaver" featuring the singles, "Dream Weaver" and "Love is Alive," both of which would hit the #2 position on the Billboard charts the following year and remain classic rock radio mainstays until this very day. "Dream Weaver" would sell over a million copies shortly after its release and go on to be prominently featured in three major movies including Wayne's World, The People vs. Larry Flynt and Toy Story 3. In 1981, Gary would achieve his third big hit with the release of "Really Wanna Know You." Since 2008, Gary has toured with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. More recently, Gary released an album titled, Connected, featuring such musicians as Ringo Starr, Joe Walsh and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. He appeared on the Hippiefest tour in 2011 with Dave Mason, Mark Farner, Rick Derringer and Felix Cavaliere and is excited to be on this year's Sail Rock Tour. 
Gary states, "I am very much looking forward to playing again with such a great group of artists this summer. I've worked with Christopher Cross, Peter Beckett and Robbie Dupree in the past and I'm looking forward to working with Orleans and Firefall. It should be a great tour." 
Jock Bartley, Sandy Ficca, Bil Hopkins and Steven Weinmeister have been playing together in Firefall for over fifteen years, with Chris Ball joining the band in 2002. Firefall first hit the scene in May of 1976 with the release of their self-titled debut album that would be, at the time, the quickest album to reach gold status in the history of Atlantic Records. The second single released from the album, "You Are The Woman," would enter the Top 10 and become their biggest hit. That summer, the band found themselves opening up for the legendary Fleetwood Mac. In 1977, the band would have another major hit with "Just Remember I Love You," followed by yet another in 1978 with "Strange Way." Both would hit #11 on the charts ... Over the years, they would compile an impressive six Top 40 hits. Today in concert, Firefall can play over an hour of nothing but hits and radio recognizable tunes. There are plans to record a live CD to capture the fire and fun that sparks from the stage. They are currently writing songs for a new studio album, which will hopefully soon become a reality. Firefall endures because of the strength and integrity of their songs. It flourishes because of the energy and spontaneity that is so evident on stage and in the studio. 
"Firefall is very excited to be playing on the Sail Rock tour with such great bands and artists of the 1970s," says founding member Jock Bartley. "It's an honor for us to be included. It'll be hit song after hit song being played on this amazing tour, some of the top tunes from that amazing decade. What a roster! What an event!"  
There are songs you hear in your life that transport you to a certain time period or give you a special feeling. You associate those good times to the group that made them famous. Songs like “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight,” “Nights Are Forever Without You” and “Love Is The Answer” by England Dan and John Ford Coley seemingly have that kind of effect on people. Those popular Top 10 singles from the 70's, along with such other songs as "It's Sad To Belong," "Gone Too Far" and "We'll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again" have made John Ford Coley a singing legend. He has spent decades touring, writing, recording, and producing. John -- most revered as half of the Grammy nominated duo England Dan and John Ford Coley -- continues with an active roster performing the platinum and gold record hits for audiences around the world. As part of that duo, he would have six Top 40 hits, including four Top 10's. Classically trained on piano and an avid guitarist, John loves the craft and enjoys every audience he encounters. John is currently going into the studio to record new material for an acoustic album.  
"Every now and then I get the opportunity to perform with friends and musicians whose music I really enjoy and what they contributed to the world by their music," says John. "Although I've performed with many of these guys on separate occasions, I'm excited to be able to perform with so many of them at the same time. It's going to be like old home week for me. I'll be singing along with everyone else. It was great music and I know everyone will enjoy hearing all of those songs back-to-back." 
Robbie Dupree began his music career in the clubs of Greenwich Village in New York during the late 1960's. After years of performing in R&B bands (including New World Rising with renowned producer/guitarist Nile Rodgers), he moved to Los Angeles in 1978. A musical partnership with Rick Chudacoff and Peter Bunetta led to Robbie's first recording contract on Elektra Records. His debut album from 1980 produced two major hit singles, "Steal Away" and "Hot Rod Hearts," now classics. In 1981, Robbie was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best New Artist. His current release, Arc of a Romance, marks his tenth studio recording. His songs have been used in major films and television shows. Robbie continues to perform live in concert around the world. 
"It's going to be great fun to be a part of the Sail Rock tour, comments Robbie. "I get the chance to work with old friends and great artists . Although through the years we have all continued to record and tour, this show gives us an opportunity to revisit our hits from back in the day." 
The band Player -- now featuring original members Peter Beckett and Ronn Moss -- is, perhaps, best known for their international number one hit single called "Baby Come Back." This song came about when Peter had just split from someone he had been in a relationship with for a long time. Still feeling the sting, he sat down with J.C. Crowley, to write, and their moods came out in the song. "Baby Come Back" broke on the radio in October of 1977, and reached number one in early January, 1978. Player was voted by Billboard Magazine's honor roll as Best New Single Artist for 1978. Just two months after "Baby Come Back" hit the top of the charts, the band would follow up with another Top 10 hit, "This Time I'm In It For Love." Both songs appeared on their self-titled, debut album, Player. As well as both playing guitar, Peter and J.C. shared the lead vocals on this album, except for "Tryin' To Write A Hit Song," which Ronn Moss took the lead vocals on. J.C. is also credited with playing keyboards and synthesizer as well as guitar. Player first performed live as the opening act for Gino Vanelli in November of '77, then later with Boz Scaggs. It was in the middle of this tour that "Baby Come Back" became a huge hit, and the band took off from there. Later in 1978, the band would experience another Top 40 hit called, "Prisoner of Love," from their album, Danger Zone. Player has now been reformed again with original members Peter Beckett and Ronn Moss, and have just released their new EP and album on Frontiers Records. 
"I'm looking forward to getting out there and playing some Rock and Roll with Peter Beckett," says Ronn Moss. "We'll make it fun, and it'll be great to see a lot of our fans."  
www.christophercross.com www.orleansonline.com www.thedreamweaver.com 
www.firefall.com  
www.johnfordcoley.com www.robbiedupree.com
www.player-theband.com 


SAIL ROCK TOUR 2013 
DATE / VENUE / CITY

Friday, July 5 - Chautauqua Amphitheater - Chautauqua, New York

Saturday, July 13 - Fortune Bay Casino Resort Ballroom - Tower, Minnesota

Monday, August 5 - Wisconsin State Fair / Main Stage - West Allis, Wisconsin

Thursday, August 8 - Fraze Pavilion For The Performing Arts - Kettering, Ohio

Saturday, August 10 - River Edge Park - Aurora, Illinois

Tuesday, August 13 - Mayo Performing Arts Center - Morristown, New Jersey

Wednesday, August 14 - Indiana State Fair / Marsh Free Stage - Indianapolis, Indiana

Thursday, August 15 - The Family Arena - St. Charles, Missouri

Wednesday, August 21 - Sandy Amphitheater - Sandy, Utah

Saturday, August 24 - The Sunrise Marketplace Pavilion - Citrus Heights, California

Tuesday, October 8 - Norfolk County Fair - Simcoe, Ontario, Canada

*More dates to be announced.