APRIL ’75 Brought Freedom & Spring Alive!
I have often mentioned how similar the 2020s are to the Rock and roil of the 1970s. This month, we find personal freedoms, political upheaval, irreverence and patriotism in both decades, all wrapped up in Peace and Love while Spring showers bring May flowers. A country and the ages bathed in contradictions.
But we’re talkin’ ‘bout Rock & Roll, after all—music that soothes the troubled soul—today, as it did yesterday. The only thing the Psychedelic Seventies decade really has over the current decade, is a catchy title! So let’s Rock On in 1975, looking back, from the Twisted Twenty-Twenties! Alright … I’ll keep workin’ on it. In the meantime, enjoy life … 50 Years Ago this Month …
º APRIL 1975 Radio News & Muse ♪
April 3rd or 4th: Details are a little fuzzy 50 Years later. Now, be honest, as you’re reading this, you’re thinking you’ve either done it, or wished ya had at some point in a relationship … Steve Miller, yes THE Steve Miller, was apparently not happy in his relationship with Benita DiOrio. At least, it appeared that way to the cops who arrested him for setting her clothes and other items on fire—oh, and resisting arrest. No worries. The contentious Miller was released the next day when DiOrio dropped charges against him. Maybe he was bored ‘cause he hadn’t had a big hit since ‘73’s The Joker? The travesty of fame is everyone thinks your business is their business too. It made the news and here we are, fifty years later, still talking about it. Shame on us.
April 28th: Were you watching The Smothers Brothers Show on NBC this night when Ringo Starr and the comedy duo claimed they didn’t do drugs? Their fun, tongue-in-cheek (or fingers crossed) performance of Ringo’s “No No Song” delighted fans of his recent February hit. Whether they believed its premise or not. 😊
♪ On Your Tinny Transistor Radio ♪
Where were you dodging APRIL showers in 1975? Boise, Houston, Chicago? Here’s a sample of what and who you were
listening to …
If you found KFXD in Boise, Idaho, your go-to station 50 Years Ago, it’s a good bet you listened to the offbeat antics of DJ Drew Harold who wasn’t “…just another pretty foot.” It wasn’t only their DJs who were different … their survey style was also unconventional, with the “Boise Valley Music Survey” Issue No. 576 for April 30, 1975, listing your fave tunes as Hot / Moving / Warm and Night … and not in sequential order.
Skewing the list, for instance, in the Hot category, the first five top tunes were: #1) “Wildfire” (Michael Murphy); #3) “Autobahn” (Kraftwerk); #4) “The Bertha Butt Boogie” (The Jimmy Castor Bunch); and #8) “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” (John Denver). See if you can figure it out at ARSA, my fave vintage surveys site.
Then
we mosey on down the road and flip the radio dial to Houston’s KILT for
the same date and find DJ “Catfish,” the big guy at Big
610. Their chart sports a readable Top 40 with lyrics to their #10 standout
tune, “Shining Star” by Earth,
Wind and Fire. About the most funky, upbeat song I’ve heard in a long time …
well in 50 Years!
With some sketchy research, I believe
I discovered The Catfish’s off-air name was Jim Prewitt; please feel
free to correct me, if wrong. I did learn, however, that KILT was only
his second radio gig in the beginning of a long career.
The Eagles* were riding the popularity wave with “Best of My Love” topping charts back in February. WCFL took advantage of their success, booking a school spirit contest to win a concert with them, emceed by Lujack. Dan Fogelberg (1951-2007) toured with Eagles in ’74, which likely got him on the school concert bandwagon too, as he navigated his solo musical footing. What a fun event that must have been for one lucky teen!
*A version of the Eagles with Don Henley in the forefront is still flying high in a Las Vegas Valley show this month, with added September dates because … well … their music is still a part of our souls, don’t ya think? More WCFL action in the Featured Radio Survey. Let’s keep Rockin’ On through April 1975 …
♪ April ’75 Song of Note ♪
I kid you not … who doesn’t know “Philadelphia Freedom,” an iconic tune still in play today? If you’re an Eagles football fan, you’ll likely remember their ecstatic win over Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX just last month … let Philadelphia Freedom ring as it hit the charts again in celebration.
Simply by virtue of its title, the song’s iconic nature reaches back 50 Years Ago this Month as it energized radio listeners prepping for America’s 1976 bicentennial festivities. And now, 2026 will host our country’s Semiquincentennial—250th— anniversary of American Independence.
Then, as now, politics were a hot button of patriotism and controversy, in life and in music. Master Brit musician, Elton John, asked lyricist, Bernie Taupin, to write a tribute tune for famed tennis champ, Billie Jean King. It’s reported, however, Taupin had no interest in that topic and penned the enigmatic song we’re still singing. One must wonder, though, how did it get from tennis to patriotism? According to Taupin, it didn’t … he insists it has nothing to do with tennis, King, or even patriotism—huh—ya coulda fooled me. For a non-patriotic song, it sure inspires freedom-loving loyaty!
♪ … 'Cause I live and breathe this Philadelphia freedom | From the day that I was born, I've waved the flag … ♪
♪ April ’75 ~
Quirky Band Name Award ♪
Every now and then, another genre makes a statement in Rock & Roll. Such
was the case in April
Their ultimate success wasn’t just a fluke. Their original group began in 1970 with Craig Fuller, Tom McGrail, and John David Call. Pure Prairie League’s name was McGrail’s idea, emulating a temperance union in 1939’s Western movie, Dodge City with Errol Flynn. Though the band’s members have come and gone over the years, with guitar icons joining in, like Vince Gill, Gary Burr and Curtis Wright, they’re still around and proudly celebrating their 50th anniversary. ♪ … I can never see what’s right | or what is wrong … ♪
♪ April ’75 ~ Quirky Song Title ♪
A couple of tunes on this month’s music
chart from 50 Years Ago, caught my eye for this category. I thought
you’d be learning more about “Remember
What I Told You to Forget” by Tavares, just hitting the
survey at WCFL’s #40. It reminds me of a question I might ask a close friend … however,
it didn’t have a verifiable back-story. But that’s okay. I found the month’s
perfect match …
♪ … America's wondering, "How we got here?" | Harry, all we get is lies | We're getting safer cars | Rocket ships to Mars | From men who'd sell us out | To get themselves a piece of power … ♪ Click the link to hear the campy tune …
♪ April 2025 Music Events
& More ♪
It’s
obvious we don’t want to let go of our vibrant retro Rock, as we keep finding
ways today, to keep it movin’ on down the road …
Crank
up your tweeters and woofers, it’s International
Guitar Month! Although the sponsoring site hasn’t updated its Guitar Month
page since 2016, they’re johnny-on-the-spot with 2025 articles to sell you the
latest equipment. Ok. Their prerogative.
However, this
site (albeit an old post) not only has histories and other fun info, but, “Watch 100 Guitar
Riffs (A Brief History of Rock N’ Roll). Even if you don’t play guitar
yourself, you’re sure to get a kick out of watching this clip. In just one
take, Alex Chadwick, from The Chicago Music Exchange, chronologically plays 100
famous guitar riffs giving you a 12-minute history of rock n’ roll.” Now that’s
cool …
Friday ~ April 11th: What do you listen to your music on today? Your phone? Your computer? Some other fancy gizmo from the 21st century? Welllll, today is 8-track Tape Day! I heard that … “Huh?! What’s that?” Oh, you are so spoiled. An 8-track tape player was a clunky portable radio-type music player, sometimes combined with our radios that then became our traveling music-maker. The “tapes” were about as clunky as the player. Nevermind, ask your grandparents while I go dig my tapes and player out of storage … Rock On!
Friday ~ April 11th: Sooooo, what did we play on our ol’ players? Get your party hat on, today we’re celebrating International "Louie Louie" Day, on whatever we can find to play the iconic 1963 party tune! There hasn’t been an official sponsoring link for several years, but no worries—our link above tells the story of BFYP DJ, Ken Chase of KISN/Portland fame, producer of the most popular version by The Kingsmen. Enjoy … reminisce … and party on!
April 20th: Now, you know, among some folks of our generation (well, my generation), 4:20 p.m./April 20 is a holiday, right? Then you won’t be surprised to learn that the ever-high Cheech & Chong duo are releasing their authorized documentary today! First in a limited release, then we can all watch and reminisce in its nationwide release, April 25th. The poster urges, “Bring a bud.” It should be a hoot! As AMC Theatres says, Cheech & Chong’s Last Movie is “The result is an unlikely story of friendship and fame, turmoil and defiance, rebellion and ultimately - redemption.” Ummm, what they can remember of it …April 20th-26th: Just because there’s no sponsoring link, doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate National Karaoke Week! No sponsor link, and more frustrating, no related current events. However, I did find us an older link that offers great tips for having karaoke fun. Give it a look-see for “Kamikaze Karaoke” and “Dress-Up Karaoke.” And btw, “Louie Louie” sounds great whether you’re warbling into your home karaoke machine or regaling the local pub with your party tunes prowess … have fun!
♪♪ BFYP Featured Radio Survey ♪♪
April 19, 1975 ~ WCFL/Chicago, Illinois … “Lady Marmalade”
was still hanging out on top of their chart, but coming up fast was Ringo’s “No
No Song” and B.J. Thomas’s “Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.” But
WCFL’s big attraction was DJ delinquent, Larry Lujack and their “… win a
concert” contest! 50 Years Ago this Month in Rock & Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when your radio played …
Let’s Celebrate APRIL 1975 and … Rock On!
BFYP Book 1 (1954-1959) on Amazon
BFYP Book 2 (Swinging ‘60s) on Amazon
Blast from Your Past Gifts
Share your Golden Oldies R&R fun on “X”: @BlastFromPastBk
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three planned) are published in her Blast from Your PastTM series, available on Amazon: Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959TM (eBook only; coming soon in updated print edition) and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging SixtiesTM (eBook & print). Coming soon-ish … Book 3 – The Psychedelic Seventies!TM
Note: FYI – All links in the BFYP site are personally
visited, verified, and vetted. Most are linked to commonly accessed
sites of reputable note. Occasionally, since I often feature real people and/or
singular sources there may be an unsecured link. As with everything
cyber-security, use at your own discretion and risk. This site is wholly owned
by LinDee Rochelle & sponsored by PenchantForPenning.comTM.
No compensation is received for any mentions of businesses, products, or other
commercial interests. *All holiday and special event days are found at Brownielocks.com’s calendar site.
Enjoy!
01/01/25: The Blast from Your Past site has
never and will never (knowingly) be written or assisted, by Artificial
Intelligence. It’s just stupid ol’ “I” and I enjoy
writing these articles. They soothe my soul. So why would I hand that
indulgence over to an artificial, soulless entity that can’t feel pleasure?!
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪