The movement continues to see Joe Cocker inducted into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
A new video of Billy Joel reading a letter he wrote to The Rock Hall back in 2014 has just gone out ... along with some commentary from songwriting legend Randy Newman.
This follows Paul McCartney's endorsement last month and a grassroots campaign that we've been petitioning for over the past 20+ years. (I don't see how they cannot listen to our pleas ... but it's a REAL shame that THIS is what it would take to see Joe finally honored. How can it be that they could be so blind to this gross injustice?)
He was one of a kind ... and he absolutely belongs there! (kk)
From Bob Merlis …
Billy Joel has made it no secret that he feels strongly that Joe Cocker should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He let audiences know that he wrote a letter in 2014 when Cocker’s health was failing — he died at the end of December of that year — urging the Hall to induct the multi-faceted rocker. Until now, the content of that letter, which Joel hand-delivered to the Rock Hall, has not been revealed and had been the subject of speculation. At the end of last week, Joel, who had been a huge Joe Cocker fan since first hearing “With A Little Help From My Friends” and attending the Woodstock Festival, reposted a video from Joe Cocker’s social media platforms from 2016 in which he read the letter to filmmaker John Edginton minutes before taking the stage at Madison Square Garden. Edginton shot Joel’s reading during the filming of Joe Cocker: Mad Dog With Soul, his much-lauded feature documentary that premiered the following year but doesn’t include the scene in the final cut.
The posting was prompted by the fact that after 36 years of eligibility, Joe Cocker, a full decade after his death, is finally listed as a nominee on this year’s ballot. In the video clip, Joel asserts that Joe Cocker was “The most powerful rock and roll interpretive male singer” he had heard “since first hearing the iconic early recordings of Ray Charles.” His letter goes on: “In my opinion no one has since come even close to him as one of the great primal rock and roll vocalists of all time.”
Joel’s efforts are reflective of a groundswell of support for Cocker’s induction. Just last month, Paul McCartney crafted an open letter (addressed “Dear Rock and Rollers”) in which he wrote “Joe was a great man and a fine singer whose unique style made for some fantastic performances. He sang one of our songs, ‘With a Little Help From My Friends,’ which was very imaginative. All the people on the panel will be aware of the great contribution Joe made to the history of Rock and Roll. And whilst he may not have ever lobbied to be in the Hall of Fame, I know he would be extremely happy and grateful to find himself where he deserves to be, amongst such illustrious company.”
Billy Gibbons, whose band ZZ Top shared stages with Cocker going back to the early ‘70s, is also publicly supportive of his induction. He called the nomination “Good news in view of the monumental recordings released and amazing performances,” calling Cocker “one of a kind” and “the very embodiment of rock and roll in terms of talent and spirit.” He concluded his commentary with an entreatment: “Let’s get him inducted!”
Gibbons is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, as is drummer Pete Thomas as a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions. Like Joe Cocker, Thomas was born in Sheffield, England and recently wrote, “If there's a shelf of books about rock and roll, there's certainly a mighty volume about Joe Cocker. Early on, he did what the Beatles and the Stones did: he took American Blues and Soul and made it even better. For Joe Cocker not to be in the Hall is crazy; he's about as rock and roll as it gets.”
When it became known that her late husband had been nominated for Rock Hall induction, Joe’s widow Pam Cocker recalled, “When the nominations were revealed, he would be upset to realize that an artist that he thought had long been in the Hall hadn’t yet been inducted. He was an advocate for so many of these people that he felt were deserving, but was never angry or upset that he, himself, had been overlooked. Though he certainly wanted that honor, he wasn’t covetous of it and felt that it would someday come. He would have been delighted to have this recognition not only for himself but for other great artists he thought were deserving of it.”
Joe’s surviving brother Vic Cocker commented, “Joe was born in May, 1944, a perfect age to hear the first wave of the new music of rock and roll. Eventually the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame honoured those heroes who created it. Later, as a performer himself in the second wave there were new heroes – some were part of incredible bands with whom Joe shared a stage and some whose genius he admired from afar. He was delighted to see them honoured, too. Joe often closed his show with the words ‘Rock and Roll!’ It was a reflection of his musical passion. To be recognised among his heroes would be the greatest privilege he silently wished for.”
After the break-up of REO Speedwagon late last year, lead singer Kevin Cronin decided to go out as a solo act, opening for Styx in a tour that is already well underway.
Now comes word that the group’s hometown of Champaign, Illinois is honoring the band with a one-off concert on June 24th … a date where Cronin, the one key member most associated with the group, is already booked to perform as part of that Styx tour … and he’s none too happy about it!
Cronin posted on his Facebook page:
“Fourfourfour Live, the organizers of the Champaign event, could have picked a date when all of the former members of REO were available to participate. Instead, they chose June 14, 2025, a date where it was public knowledge that I was previously committed to perform with Styx and the Kevin Cronin Band in Bend, Oregon.
“Bottom line, I am being asked to participate in an event on a date when I can’t possibly be there in-person. And then being falsely accused of turning down the invitation. I am deeply disturbed and hurt by all of this.
“After all I have done to help build the legacy of REO Speedwagon, I feel I have earned and deserve to be included in any event honoring that legacy. Instead, I have been knowingly excluded … kc"
“PS. 35-year REO veterans Dave Amato and Bryan Hitt were not even shown the respect of being invited to the Champaign event.”
REO Speedwagon broke up, citing “irreconcilable differences,” late last year.
The upcoming show is to honor the band in their home town of Champaign, Illinois. It will feature co-founders Neal Doughty (1967-2024) and Alan Gratzer (1967-1988), along with long-serving bassist Bruce Hall (1977-2-24) and early members, the original lead singer Terry Luttrell (1968-1972), Mike Murphy (1973-1975) and Steve Scorfina (1969-1970). Cronin joined the group in 1972, but left for a couple of years in 1974 and 1975. He rejoined the band in 1976 and had been with them ever since. It is Kevin Cronin’s voice that graces all of their charted hit material. To exclude him from such an event is simply wrong. Here’s to hoping that something can still be worked out that might allow him to miss his Oregon date and still participate in this honor. (Perhaps Styx can find a substitute opening act for just that one night???) It seems such a shame that these “irreconcilable differences” could be resolved so quickly after disbanding … perhaps a little more effort on the part of all parties concerned could have preserved an Illinois Rock and Roll Legacy. (kk)
When REO Speedwagon broken thru in a HUGE way with their 1981 “Hi Infidelity” album, they seemed like an overnight success for many unfamiliar with how many years the band had been toiling on the bar and concert circuit. (I must have seen them at least half a dozen times in the very early 1970’s … it seemed like for a while there, they were the opening act for virtually every major artist who passed thru town!)
Still, their accumulated hit list is quite impressive …
They placed thirteen songs on our list of THE TOP 3333 MOST ESSENTIAL CLASSIC ROCK SONGS OF ALL TIME as determined by The Readers of Forgotten Hits, SIX of which made The Top 1000. We’ve included those peaks as well in our official REO SPEEDWAGON HIT LIST below ... showing each song’s US Chart Peak, Chicago Chart Peak and Classic Rock Classics standing. (kk)
THE REO SPEEDWAGON HIT LIST
1971 – 157 Riverside Avenue (uncharted album track) CR - #3027
1976 – Keep Pushin’ (uncharted album track) CR - #1919
1977 – Ridin’ The Storm Out (live version of their 1974 uncharted hit) US - #94 / CHI - #xx / CR - #847)
1978 – Roll With The Changes (US - #48 / CHI - #xx / CR - #811)
1978 – Time For Me To Fly (also rereleased in 1980) US - #56 / CHI - #xx / CR - #530)
1979 – Back On The Road Again (uncharted album track) – CR - #3258)
1981 – Keep On Loving You (US #1 / CHI - #1 / CR – #370)
1981 – Take It On The Run (US - #3 / CHI – #5 / CR - #424)
1981 – Don’t Let Him Go (US - #20 / CHI - #25 / CR - #2231)
1981 – In Your Letter (US - #17 / CHI - # / CR - #3117)
1982 – Keep The Fire Burnin’ (US - #7 / CHI - #13 / CR - #xx)
1982 – Sweet Time (US - #13 / CHI - #20 / CR - #xx)
1984 – I Do’wanna Know (US - #23 / CHI - #35 / CR - #3170)
1985 – Can’t Fight This Feeling (US - #1 / CHI - #3 / CR - #747)
1985 – One Lonely Night (US - #19 / CHI - #38 / CR - #xx)
1985 – Live Every Moment (US - #30 / CHI - #46 / CR - #xx)
1987 – That Ain’t Love (US - #15 / CHI - #xx / CR - #xx)
1987 – In My Dreams (US - #17 / CHI - #17 / CR - #xx)
1988 – Here With Me (US - #16 / CHI - #xx / CR - #xx)
kk...
Fabian Is Reporting That Johnny Tillotson Has Died
FB
At the time I received your email, I hadn't heard or seen anything posted on this, not even on Johnny's own website, but I'm guessing that it's likely true. (It was confirmed later that afternoon ... so you were "first in" with this one!)
I think I can quite accurately report that Johnny was NOT a friend or fan of Forgotten Hits ...
Many, many years ago, radio programmer John Rook suggested that I contact Johnny, as he thought he would LOVE what I was doing ... so I did, and sent him a few samples via email. (This is back when we were still just an emailed newsletter.)
After about the sixth or seventh one, Johnny emailed me back and said "Take me off this God-forsaken list!!!" So I did and never heard from him again. (lol) It was NOT one of my most-glowing endorsements ... but hey, I guess it's not for everybody!
But hey, we'll still give him the HIT LIST treatment ... 'cause he had quite a few of them back in the early '60's. (kk)
THE JOHNNY TILLOTSON HIT LIST
1960 - Why Do I Love You So (#31)
1960 - Poetry In Motion (#2) Johnny's biggest and best-known hit
1961 - Jimmy's Girl (#19)
1961 - Without You (#7)
1962 - Dreamy Eyes (#35) This was a reissue of Johnny's first chart hit that peaked at #63 in 1958
1962 - It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin' (#2)
1962 - Send Me The Pillow You Dream On (#10)
1962 - I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) #12 - Johnny's cover of the classic Hank Williams tune ... the B-Side was I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
1963 - Out Of My Mind (#16)
1963 - You Can Never Stop Me Loving You (#18)
1963 - Talk Back Trembling Lips (#7)
1964 - A Worried Guy (#29)
1964 - I Rise, I Fall (#35)
1964 - She Understands Me (#28)
1965 - Heartaches By The Number (#29)
That's fifteen National Top 40 Hits ... not a bad run (kk)
Wow! Dionne Warwick gets the star treatment on a brand new 12-CD deluxe package coming out this June.
It’s a complete collection of all of her Scepter Records recordings, 1962 – 1971, all put together in a beautiful package with bonus live tracks and alternate mixes included.
You can read all about it here:
(it sounds amazing!!!) kk
The new David Leaf book we told you about a while back spotlighting the history of The Beach Boys’ recording of “SMiLE” will be released later this month.
Long-time Forgotten Hits Reader Phil Miglioratti had the opportunity to interview Leaf after receiving an advance review copy of the book.
You can read it here: https://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2025/02/pre-publication-interview-with-david.html?view=flipcard
(kk)
After hearing about Johnny Mathis’ retirement from performing, David Salidor sent us this photo of Johnny and Micky Dolenz from 2015
Hi, Kent!
Hearing all that great stuff about Burt and Randy gives me warm
fuzzies.
I first saw the Guess Who at a concert they did at the SIU Arena on October 9th, 1970. Seems like yesterday.
I've been to many Guess Who shows, but one
that brings back great memories was one that Burton did with what
I believe was the last version of the Guess Who, at McCormick Place, in summer of 1976. Burton invited anyone
at that show to stop by a record shop on Oak Street in the Rush Street district (I forgot the name) and
chat with the group. I was surprised that it was a
fairly small turnout, considering the huge following that the
group had in the midwest.
I hung around for an hour or so, until the group decided to head back to their hotel,
which was on Michigan Avenue, walking distance away. I asked Burton if I could tag along, and he had no problem
with that. That walk, while chatting with Burton, was one of the high points of my life. I've never met another
musician who has such a wide range of musical talent.
I'm happy to hear that he and some others from the group still
come around to do shows, especially in Chicago.
Mike
Hello Kent!
One more time! Your site is looking great!
Happy Birthday 🎈🎂! to Eric Idle on March 29th. Here is Eric around town somewhere in L.A.
Also wishing the great Herb Alpert a Happy 90th 🎈🎂!!!!! Birthday. Seen here leaving The House of Blues on Sunset Strip.
Jim Roup
