The Last of the Pioneers

John Kluge dies

 

He was from the same cloth as broadcasting pioneers Leonard Goldenson and William Paley.  His Metromedia mirrored the class he was personally known for with most only wishing they would be invited to join John Kluge.

 On September 7^th, after 95 years John Kluge has died.

I remember him, the following from my �Passing Thru.�

Al Bennett, President of Liberty records and Ken Palmer, owner of KIMN in Denver had both telephoned to say they had recommended me to their friend John Kluge.

So while it wasn�t totally unexpected, I still was somewhat surprised when Kluge personally called me in the early 70's asking if I would be interested in joining his Metromedia Radio division and headquarter in New York.

 Just a few weeks prior to his invitation, I had moved from Chicago to Los Angeles and since returning east was not on my agenda, after a few days of consideration I declined.

It probably wasn�t one of my smartest decisions, but early on I had tasted the suit and tie corporate life of the east coast while at ABC and now in my 30�s I had just been hired as president of my friend Bill Drakes company with the lure of all that sunny California had to offer.  The more comfortable, casual way of life and conducting business suited me fine. Within a few months I traded my Chrysler Imperial for a new Mercedes Benz and while I might have to travel east from time to time, I sure wasn�t going to miss its frigid winters and humid summers.

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New books from two of my favorite females....

 

She�s one of the most knowledgeable hosts on talk radio.

Knowing more about almost any subject than her

counterparts, Rollye James demonstrates her

natural home spun brillance each night on

Sirus and on the internet.

 

Rollye�s �What am I doing here,� tells �the rest of the

story� about many of radio's most celebrated characters

and also gives the reader many lessons in radio

history plus a dose of inspiration that's

sorely needed not only in radio but in society

as a whole these days.

 

A favorite book of mine, "What am I doing here"

 by Rollye James can be ordered here.

 

 

 

It�s a labor of love for Sharon Sheeley�s son as he

tells the story of her remarkable life in

�Summertime Blues, a true rock and roll

adventure with Eddie Cochran. "

Eight years following her passing, Sharon's

son Shannon shares his mothers life as a

very successful songwriter and friend of

the stars of early rock.

 

Order it from Amazon here

 

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Al Martino

For more than 50 years I counted him my friend.

A true gentleman, he was one of the most

naturally gifted singers I've ever known.

It's been almost a year since Al Martino died

at 82 years of age.

Just a few days before his sudden passing

Al was in the recording studio, his unmistakable

voice was as powerful as ever as he paid

tribute of his wife Judi with a haunting

melody that could be a big favorite

among senior married couples.

This isn't a time when a Al Martino

recording can find airplay on radio.

That's why I've presented it here.

"Thank you" pal, I miss you.

 

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Talk radio continues to be the truth teller about politics

and the economy. As noted many months ago the dreaded

�d� word warned by talksters has finally found its way in

the rest of the media.

 

History is well on its way to repeating the hardship

of the 30's, only this time a society raised in an era

of abundance will find the future more than they

can weather.

 

Far more than has been experienced by most of the

population thus far, some very tough days are ahead

and talk radio has been the guiding light.

 

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A decade ago, we wrote on this website,

"In the not to distant future I would expect most homes

would have a compact home entertainment center 

in the living room with smaller sub stations located

throughout the house, especially in the bed rooms.

 

This center will contain a large screen capable of

delivering multiple video selections that would

 include television, the internet,  DVD's, CD's and

other program sources not known today.

Both AM/FM and Internet programming will

 be included in this center.

 

My long time friend visionary Bob Hamilton, predicts

away from home use won�t be limited to just AM/FM but

the Internet and video will also be available to the

family automobile. "

 

The future is NOW.....

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Eddie Cochran

 

Fifty Years and we still

 �Don�t Forget� him.

 

Unlike most of the world today, America is transfixed on

youth. Those names of the past largely go unnoticed in

our society. It�s a change from how it was during a time

when some of us recall history was taught in schools and

we appreciated learning about earlier times.

Now America concentrates on little past last Saturday.

 

In foreign society, it�s a much different world where

those names of the past continue to be recognized.

So it was when the BBC paid tribute to my close friend

 of all those years ago, Eddie Cochran, an early

 inductee in the Rock n� Roll Hall of Fame, who died

fifty years ago this week in a terrible car

crash in England.

 

During a moving hour long tribute to him, the BBC report

told of how he influenced dozens of rock�s biggest names

including , Paul McCartney, George Harrison, The Who

and Rod Stewart, youthful fans of Eddie Cochran.

 

Largely because he and many rock recording stars of the

50�s he introduced me too might benefit, Eddie

encouraged me to enter a career in radio, giving up

traveling with him that would have placed me in

the same car in which he died at just 21 years of age.

 

Ironic that he would sign every autograph with

 �Don�t Forget Me�

and how following the death of his friend

Buddy Holly, Eddie instructed me what to do

 should the same fate be his.

 

Memories of my days with Eddie are here. 

Photo�s are here ,the BBC tribute is here

and England's The Sun is here.

 

I miss you pal....

 

John

 

John Rook & Patti Page

 

�The Tennessee Waltz� is the third biggest selling single

 of  all time, approaching twenty million in sales.

 

On the pop & country Hit Parade more than 100 times,

 she sold more than 100 million singles alone,

 not counting her albums.  Patti had  14 million

selling singles.

 

By a vote of her fans worldwide, Patti Page was

inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

 

During her recent sold out appearance at the

Northern Quest Resort & Casino, Hit Parade Hall of Fame

President John Rook was on stage to present Patti Page

with her induction award.

 

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2010 Nominees at the Hit Parade Hall of Fame

 

The nominating committee of the Hit Parade Hall

of Fame has announced the 2010 nominees.

 They are Gordon Lightfoot, Tommy Roe,

Steve Miller Band, Martha & the Vandellas,

the Chipmunks, Santana, Bill Withers

the Shirelles, Gerry and the Pacemakers

and James Brown.

 

Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite nominees

that have had two or more top ten hits in the 1950�s,

1960�s and/or 1970�s at the website of the

Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

 

www.hitparadehalloffame.org

 

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Hit Parade Hall of Fame Inductees for 2009

 

Sixty-four recording stars have been inducted into the

2009 Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

 

 It was the vote of fans and the decision of the Nominating

Committee that recording artists, America, the Ames

Brothers, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Louis

Armstrong, Frankie Avalon, Brook Benton, Buckinghams,

Glen Campbell,  Chordettes, Petula Clark, Sam Cooke,

Dave Clark Five, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Buddy

Holly & the Crickets, Sammy Davis, Jr.,  Doors,  Drifters,

Tommy Edwards,  5^th Dimension, Eddie Fisher,

Fleetwood Mac, Johnny Horton, Tennessee Ernie Ford,

Four Aces, Four Lads, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Lesley

Gore, Michael Jackson & the Jackson Five, Joni James,

Sonny James, Billy Joel, George Jones, Kitty Kallen,

KC & the Sunshine Band, Andy Kim, Carole King, Gladys

Knight & the Pips, Little Richard, Barry Manilow,

Al Martino, Mamas & The Papas, McGuire Sisters,

Les Paul & Mary Ford, Peter, Paul & Mary, Gene Pitney,

Platters, Gary Puckett & the Union Gap, Helen Reddy,

Marty Robbins,  Rolling Stones, Jimmie Rodgers, Bobby

Rydell, Del Shannon, Simon & Garfunkel, Jo Stafford,

Barbra Streisand, Temptations,  Three Dog Night, Bobby

Vee, Bobby Vinton, Dionne Warwick and Andy Williams

are among the largest group of inductees of any given

 year since the formation of the Hit Parade

Hall of Fame in 2006.

  

Once nominated, recording stars who have had two or

more top ten hit�s in the 50�s, 60�s or 70�s have three

years in which to be inducted into the

Hit Parade Hall of  Fame.

 

Each year in January inductees of the past year are

announced with the new nominees for the New Year

in the second week of February. 

 

John Rook, creator of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame said,

�in announcing this, the largest class of inductees to the

Hit Parade Hall of Fame, the nominating committee

attempted to pay tribute to many recording stars who

 are long overdue the recognition they so richly deserve.�

 

http://www.hitparadehalloffame.org

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TOMMY JAMES� SHOCKING NEW BOOK!

 �ME,THE MOB, AND THE MUSIC�

A great read, order from Amazon. com

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Ron Alexenburg welcomes Hit Parade Hall of Fame

 Inductee Lou Christie during his recent appearance

at the North Folk Theatre at Westbury.

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Announcing the 2009 Nominees

to the Hit Parade Hall of Fame

 

Now we know why - The tail of two Brains here   

 

Ready for an escape ?

Take a few minutes, return to the 60's here

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