>>BFYP BULLETINS, 07/30/18: LOVE your Kindle / FREE EBOOKS? With a roll of your
fuzzy dice you might win BFYP BOOK 1 Rock & Roll Radio DJs: The First Five
Years 1954-1959, now appearing in Amazon
Giveaways! Let’s get lost on #MemoryLane together: Click: https://amzn.to/2Aaeusk, follow me on
Amazon, and it could be yours! Or, it’s only $1.95 to buy. Giveaway ends Thursday,
August 2nd.>>07/13/18: News of the Pala Indian Reservation’s recent radio revamp, came by way of fellow author and longtime friend, Joe Naiman, who reported recently on the change, and featured a San Diego radio/TV legend (and BFYP DJ) in his article for the East County’s Village News.
“The Federal
Communications Commission granted Pala Rez Radio the
call letters KPRI-FM, March 23. The call letters stand for Kupa Pala Rez
Indians, but the original KPRI-FM
in San Diego had a format similar to the classic rock music Pala Rez Radio
currently plays.” This led to San Diego career DJ, John Fox, to invite his friend, iconic SoCal DJ, Shotgun Tom Kelly, to join him in the Del Mar Fair Pala Rez Radio booth [91.3; “rock, talk and reggae”] in June. Enjoy Joe’s deep-dive into local radio history with Shotgun and John as star players!
And now, let's flip on the mic, and Rock On back to 1968 …
Summer Sun, Independence Fun!
Regardless of news
reports, patriotism has never—and should never—be in short supply in the United
States. What was signed into existence this day, July 4th, two hundred and forty-two years ago, created our country. 
It wasn’t perfect then. It isn’t perfect now. As a patriot,
I have to say, if someone doesn’t like it here, they can be part of the
solution, not create a problem, or go somewhere else. This country must still
be great, or so many people from
everywhere else, wouldn’t cross our borders illegally.
For all its imperfections, the United States of America (however
loosely defined these days) is deserving of our patriotism. Ask yourself how you can make it better, or
simply enjoy what it is … still the
best country in the world.
That said, I hope you enjoy your 4th of July Holiday! And “feel free”
to continue celebrating your part in “America the Beautiful”
the rest of the month.
And now, flip on the mic, let’s Rock on
back to Independence month JULY 1968
…
While we bounced around from party to party, waving flags
and listening to our transistor radios, WIBG/Philly
played our favorite tunes with Gary Mitchell’s bouncy voice behind the mic. Talk of the day was surely
the imminent demise of a popular Psychedelic Rock band …
July 7th: Culminated the final days for The Yardbirds. The band brought us promises in “For Your Love (1965),” To fill you with delight | I’d give you diamonds bright; and the prophetic
antics of “Over Under Sideways Down (1966).” When will it
end … ? We were about to learn.
Over the years, The Yardbirds
launched careers for Rock notables and guitarists extraordinaire, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton; the result endeared the
band to fans worldwide.
The band played through a series of U.S. concerts before a
June 12th announcement confirming rumors of two founding members’ departure.
The Yardbirds landed for their final performance in Luton, Bedfordshire,
England on July 7th.
But … we all know, it wasn’t the end of the Rock road for elements
of its illustrious sound. The iconic Led Zeppelin warmed up in the wings with Jimmy Page, and strains of The New Yardbirds wafted close.
It’s said that 1968 was the greatest year in Rock & Roll
Music. If July is proof, it is so!
Meanwhile, WIBG
fans pushed two songs ten steps up
the ladder in one giant leap. Its “Big 30 Records in Philadelphia" chart for July 9, 1968, tells the story …
Did you empathize with Nancy Wilson when she told us, “Face It Girl It’s Over”? ♪
Does he have to draw you pictures | Does he have to spell it out ♪…?
Or were you groovin’ to Cream with Eric
Clapton (post-The Yardbirds) as they turned us on to “Sunshine of Your Love”?
The firecracker songs exploded from #17 and 18, to #7 and #8, respectively.
Featured Radio
Survey: WIBG-Philly, top 30 July
9, 1968 gave us “Lady Willpower” (Union Gap) and “Stay in My Corner”
(Dells) in the top two spots for the second week. Though his money-making
single slid off the charts by this time, Tiny Tim is on the cover with venerable DJ Gary Mitchell, 50 Years Ago This Month.
Rev up your memories and recall that awesome day
when …
Celebrate JULY 1968 and … Rock On!
Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk
LinDee Rochelle is a writer
and editor by trade, and an 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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