BFYP BULLETIN
03/24/19:
BFYP featured pioneering R&R DJ, Warren
Garling, expanded on my short story of his early DJ years in Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging
Sixties, and wrote his memoir of his “journey into radio as a teenager.” As nearly all my DJs interviewed
said, “not for fame or fortune, but for below minimum wage,” yet they wouldn’t
have traded the experience for anything. Do you remember “Jesse James” at
WSNY/Albany NY in 1969? Read Warren’s warm memoir of life behind the mic in the good ol’
days of R&R, “I’ll
Have to Ask my Mom” on sale now!
BFYP BULLETIN 03/18/19: Millions of Surf Music fans are sad today, with
the passing of Dick Dale, King of the Surf Guitar. Those of us fortunate to see him in
person in a small venue like The Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, California, will never forget Dick Dale’s crashing crescendos
only he could truly master on a guitar. The surf and music communities were
blessed when Dale blended his two loves … music and the ocean. RIP
dude. | Benztown audio tribute.
And now, flip on the mic, let’s Rock On
back to 1969 …
Radio Loves Vintage and Timeless Tunes
Some songs,
new and old, can be played backward and forward in time. Others will see future
generations scratch their heads and wonder, what
were they talking about? It’s the tunes that transcend time and play
solely to our emotions that become immortal. Those with a vintage vibe, if allowed, will offer a nostalgic lesson in history, and entertain us. Radio is the conduit—then and now—for a song’s impact on our souls …
 |
| Still have your 1963 Cadillac transistor radio?? |
March 7th: Hint - ♪ He plays by intuition | The
digit counters fall ♪… The Who
released their Rock opera album tribute to Tommy,
the king of everyone’s favorite arcade game, “Pinball Wizard.” It hit
the bottom of KHJ/L.A.’s Boss 30
chart on April 2nd and peaked at #13 on April 16th.
Meanwhile,
in the East, it was a no-show on WABC/New
York’s March/April/May charts, but finally
showed up on WQAM/Florida’s Fabulous
56 list April 12th at no. 47.
“Pinball Wizard” was a catchy,
marketable tune with a rather odd, transcendental message that puts it in both
the song categories: vintage—what’s a pinball?—and timeless—empathy for the boy’s
isolation.
This positioned it perfectly for the Psychedelic Seventies when “Pinball
Wizard” enjoyed an energetic resurrection in the film that visualized the band’s
album. Elton John
gave Tommy renewed vigor in Ken Russell's 1975 big
screen adaptation.
March 8th: What did hit the top of the radio charts this month? Speaking for the East
is WQAM 560 ~ “South Florida’s FIRST
and Only OFFICIAL Music Survey” where “Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
hugged the #1 spot.
Jay
& The Americans, a BFYP featured
band, struggled to reach #9 with an old favorite, “This Magic Moment.” At the same time, WABC/NY
fans gave them a little more love, pushing it up to #5.
Featured Radio
Survey: Another ARSA radio chart—WQAM/Florida 560—check out the songs
for March 8, 1969 that joined “Proud
Mary” and “This Magic Moment” in the top ten, and clambered through the ranks,
like “Games People Play”
(Joe South) shooting up the chart to debut at #19 … 50 Years Ago This Month in
Rock & Roll Radio. That awesome day
when …
Celebrate MARCH 1969 and … Rock On!
Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk
LinDee Rochelle is a writer
and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published
two books (of three) in her Blast from Your Past series, available on
Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic Seventies!
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