November 3, 2021 ~ Finally ... the completed article!
November
Notes to Rock Family Month
For many people, this month (and next) is all about family. However you spend Thanksgiving, think about turning your radio on low, for background, and listen to one of many nationwide stations broadcasting the best of Holiday music or your genre of choice. Of course, my fave on the Featured Radio Survey is vintage Rock & Roll, Sly & the Family Stone’s “Family Affair,” at #21 … but bottom line, if you keep an open heart and mind, you can’t go wrong with good music and family (even if it must be through Zoom or Skype).
So crank up the volume a tad and let’s celebrate November and Thanksgiving 1971 … 50 Years Ago this Month …
♪ Rockin’ News & Views November 1971 ~ Then & Now
Many radio stations of the era included “bonus” music info for their listeners, like lyrics to a popular song, or up-and-coming song titles, or a list of best albums. Both WCFL/Chicago (still in Halloween mode with their chart ending 11/04/1971) and KOWN/Escondido, California, our
FRS, with chart ending 11/21/1971, boasted an album list, so …
>Then November 1971 …
Back
in the day, there was a plethora of albums released this month. Some were
forgettable without a single remarkable solo title, while one in particular
gave us an iconic song for the decades, though the album went largely untitled
…
November 8th: Most music lovers instantly recognize “Stairway to Heaven” from the first few strums of Jimmy Page’s guitar. It made its public debut on this day, one of several dynamic tunes on Led Zeppelin’s iconic fourth studio album, popularly known simply as Led Zeppelin IV. “Stairway” was backed up by “Black Dog” and “Rock and Roll” with their own memorable intros.
November 17th: While Zep was in their prime, Bob Dylan merely fulfilled a contractual obligation when he released his second “best of” album, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II. To make it fresh, he mixed previously recorded songs with archived, never recorded tunes that received a lukewarm reception from fans, at the time. Gaining admirers over the decades, Vol. II is now considered one of his best-selling albums with recognizable songs like “All Along the Watchtower,” and “All I Really Want to Do.” ♪ All I really want to do | Is, baby, be friends with you. ♪ (Yes, it was written and originally sung by Dylan, but Cher brought it to life.)
November
28th?:
Rudy the Fifth, a Rick Nelson and the Stone
Canyon Band album appears in Wiki’s list of albums released November 28, 1971 – or was it? Wiki can’t seem
to get its “facts” straight. Their data page for the album offers an October 4, 1971, release date as do several other sources—however, most of
them take their lead from Wiki and “Life,”
one of the more interesting songs on its track list, shows a January 30, 1971,
release date … make up my mind! ♪ Life,
before you're over
| I want something to show for | All my trouble … What are we
here for?” ♪
Well, October and January have come and
gone, so here we are … it’s worth mentioning because for all his fame, the pretty-boy, teen idol
actor, didn’t have it easy as a pop artist. From the beginning, he wasn’t taken
as a serious singer. However, his role on the long running family “reality” TV
show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, ended in 1966, and by then,
his critics had learned a thing or two. His "Poor Little Fool" became the first #1
song on Billboard magazine’s new “Hot 100
chart” in 1958. Good for him.
>Now November 2021 …
Well of course
… the month of Thanksgiving also includes Family
Stories Month. The official link is several years old, so let’s talk about
how this month relates to you, BFYP, and Rock Radio DJs! In fact, I can
give you an example. Do you have a former (or even current) Radio Disc Jockey
in your family? Ask him or her what life was like on the radio, back in the
day. Grab your recorder,
and keep those memories forever!
They chatted about the absolute brilliance of KLZ/Denver in forecasting radio’s future. Bill recognized the potential of FM and the album-oriented format The full interview aired in snippets over the month of October, but we have a partial sample of the first interview for you and hope to score the full hour of great radio memories, soon. Stay tuned! And more this month …
November 16th: Family Day marks the second day of the week in American Education Week. Why might this be important to Blast from Your Past? Because we like to think memories are an education unto themselves and should also be recognized today. Family history is often discussed in schools and BFYP DJs have decades of educational memories to share. Just ask ‘em. 😊
November 24th: In fact, ask the pioneering DJ in your family why National Jukebox Day is important to radio? Back in the day, if your song was heard on the radio, the next logical step to broaden its audience was the ubiquitous jukebox. There was one in every diner, honkytonk, and bars without live music.
November 25th: Thanksgiving is here! Thank you, readers for stopping by to visit when you can. Enjoy November 1971 memories (or history if you’re a young’un) and Thanksgiving memories, then and now.
♪ 50 Years Ago on Your Tinny Transistor
Radio
NOVEMBER 1971 ~ Try as I did, I could find no information on KOWN’s
cover DJ, Dave Love.
Dave had the look of SoCal’s typical “surfer
dude” of the era, but was that his real name or the station moniker? If anyone
knows, please feel free to contact me! LinDee @ BlastFromYourPast .net
(remove the spaces).
“Peace Train” (Cat Stevens) and “Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves” (Cher) made the top five on both surveys. A special coup for Cher, as it was her first solo hit and eventually certified gold. KOWN also makes my special survey list, for its misspelling of “Theives” (and we won’t mention the misuse of the apostrophe in “Gypsy’s”).
♪ BFYP Featured
Radio Survey
NOVEMBER 21, 1971 ~ KOWN/Escondido,
California Once again, Wiki makes a
convoluted history report, with KOWN
“beginning” in 1957. Granted, there’s a difference between stations’ AM and FM
entities, but KOWN’s murky past include moving transmitters in 1972, but program testing in 1966, and
“it didn’t sign on until August 1978.” Huh? The links are there, see if you
can figure them out. In the meantime, have fun … 50
Years Ago this Month in Rock &
Roll Radio! Where were you that groovy day when
your radio played …
Let’s Celebrate NOVEMBER 1971 and … Rock On! ♪
Share on Twitter: @BlastFromPastBk
LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by trade, and author by way of Rock & Roll. Two books (of three) are published 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!
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. 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!
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