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Date: October 12, 2024
Host: Gregory James
Feature: Native American and Italian American Artists
Birthday Calendar
October 6
Millie Small b. 1946
October 7
John Mellencamp 73 years old
October 8
Robert “Kool” Bell (Kool and the Gang) 74 years old
Hamish Stuart (original AWB guitarist) 75 years old
Sheila Ferguson (Three Degrees) 77 years old
Fred Cash (Impressions) 84 years old
October 9
Jackson Browne 76 years old
John Entwistle b. 1944
Nona Hendryx (Labelle) 80 years old
John Lennon b. 1940
October 10
David Lee Roth 70 years old
Ivory Joe Hunter b. 1914
October 11
Daryl Hall 78 years old
October 12
Sam Moore (Sam and Dave) 89 years old
Rock n’ Roll Trivia
“Walk Don’t Run” by the Ventures was released twice, each time with different lead guitarists. In what two years was the record released?
(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)
Playlist
* songs with * were requests
* all chart information comes from the Billboard Top 100 (for chart dates before/during July 1958) or Billboard Hot 100 (for subsequent dates) unless otherwise noted
* glossary of terms is below the playlist
6:00-7:00
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock n’ Roll—Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
Be My Baby Ronettes 1963 #2
Ronnie Bennett Spector (Part Cherokee mother)
Veronica Bennett practiced her vocals in the ladies’ room at Gold Star Studios. She once said that the echo chamber in the recording studio was not as good as the echo in the bathroom.
Runaround Sue Dion DiMucci 1961 #1
Dion has said that melody and rhythm of the song was influenced by Gary “U.S.” Bonds’ record “Quarter to Three.”
Walk Don’t Run ’64 Ventures 1964
Nokie Edwards (Cherokee)
This song made the top 10 twice: in 1960 (#2) when Nokie Edwards played bass and again in 1964 (#8) when he played lead guitar.
*Al Di La Connie Francis (Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero) 1963 #90
Volare Bobby Rydell (Robert Ridarelli) 1960 #4 H100 #9 RB
I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight Rita Coolidge (Cherokee father) 1972 NR
Bye Bye Baby, Baby Bye Bye Four Seasons 1965 #12
Frankie Valli (Francesco Castelluccio)/Tommy DeVito/ Bob Gaudio
This features a spoken passage by Frankie Valli.
Bye Bye Baby Bye Bye Monkees 1969 NR
Mickey Dolenz’s father was born in Italy but lived in Slovenia before coming to the U.S.
Castles Made of Sand Jimi Hendrix (Cherokee) 1968 NR
Hendrix's grandmother, Nora, was a vaudeville performer from Vancouver, British Columbia who passed down Cherokee traditions to him.
Crazy for You Madonna Louise Ciccone 1985 #1
This was a move away from dance pop to ballad pop for Madonna.
A Girl Like You Rascals 1967 #10
Eddie Brigati /Felix Cavaliere/Dino Danelli
This was the first track on their “Groovin’” album, which was the last time they used the word “Young” before “Rascals.”
Wovoka Redbone (Shoshone) 1973 NR
Wovoka was a religious leader from the Paiute nation who emphasized the importance of dance as a part of spiritual practice.
Operator Jim Croce (his parents had Italian ancestry) 1972 #17
The story goes that Croce was inspired to write the song by observing soldiers waiting to use a telephone to call their wives and girlfriends to see if their “Dear John” break up letters were true.
This Is It Kenny Loggins (his mother was of Italian descent) 1979 #11
Loggins wrote this song as encouragement to his ailing father. Check out his live performance below with Daryl Hall starting at 1:02.
Statesboro Blues Taj Mahal and Jesse Ed Davis (Comanche and Kiowa) 1968 NR
This track first appeared on Taj Mahal’s debut album. Jesse Ed Davis’ slide guitar work inspired Duane Allman to learn to play slide.
7:00-8:00
Bring It On Home to Me Millie Small 1964 B-side DNC
Small harmonizes with herself on this Sam Cooke classic.
Hand to Hold On To John Mellencamp 1982 #19
From John Cougar’s “American Fool” album.
Celebration Kool and the Gang 1980 #1
This track was from their 12th album and was the band’s first and only #1 single.
Pick Up the Pieces Average White Band 1974 #1 H100 #5 RB
Producer Arif Mardin did not want to release the song as a single because it had no lyrics.
When Will I See You Again? Three Degrees 1974 #2 H100 #4 RB
Sheila Ferguson sang lead on this Gamble and Huff song in which every lyric is a question.
I’m So Proud Impressions 1964 #14 H100 #14 RB
This track is a great example of the group’s impressive multi-part harmonies.
Fountain of Sorrow Jackson Browne 1974 DNC
The stellar backing vocalists were Don Henley, John David Souther and Dan Fogelberg.
Eminence Front The Who 1983 #68
Pete Townshend has said, with some hesitation, that the song is about “the absurdity of drug-fueled grandiosity.”
Keep It Confidential Nona Hendryx 1983 #91 H100 #22 RB
I Should Have Known Better Beatles 1964 #53
Composer John Lennon played harmonica on the track.
Since I Met You Baby Ivory Joe Hunter 1957 #1 RB #12 H100
Hunter recorded this side shortly after he began recording on Atlantic records.
Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody David Lee Roth 1985 #12
This cover of a Louis Prima’s 1956 original was a solo release by David Lee Roth shortly before he parted ways with Van Halen.
Plenty Good Lovin’ Sam Moore 1971
This is the title track from Moore’s “lost” 1971 solo album, released in 2002.
8:00-9:00
Knock On Wood Johnny Rivers (John Ramistella) 1972
From an album called “L.A. Reggae.”
Feelin’ Alright Grand Funk Railroad 1971 #61
Mark Farner was honored with the Lakota Sioux Elders Honor Mark in 1999. He has also been honored with the Cherokee Medal of Honor by the Cherokee Honor Society.
Lay Down (Candles in the Rain) Melanie Safka (mother of Italian descent) and The Edwin Hawkins Singers 1970 #6
Melanie was one of only three solo Woodstock performers who were women. The Edwin Hawkins Singers were a big deal on the gospel choir circuit. When they got together for the first time, the spontaneous chemistry resulted in the recording of the song.
Village People Village People 1977 NR
Felipe Rose (Lakota Sioux) was the first member of the Village People to be recruited for the group (below right). He cites his mother as his main inspiration as she had been a dancer at the Copacabana during the 1940s and 1950s. His aunt, he has said, inspired him to incorporate his Native American ancestry into his showbiz ambitions.
We Live XIT (Crossing of Indian Tribes) (Sioux) 1973
The group was investigated by the FBI and their music (on Rare Earth records) was banned on some radio stations.
Feleena Marty Robbins (did not claim Native American heritage, although his mother had Paiute lineage) 1966 NR
This was an expansion of the story of Feleena, the woman in the song “El Paso.”
Fire and Brimstone Link Wray (Shawnee mother) 1971 DNC
To Kingdom Come The Band 1968 DNC
Robbie Robertson (Cayuga and Mohawk mother) wrote many songs for The Band, played on most of them, but sang lead on very few. This was one of them.
I’m Gonna Make You Mine Lou Christie (Luigi Alfredo Giovanni Sacco) 1969 #10
This track features Christie’s non-falsetto singing voice.
Pensa a Me Nancy Sinatra 1962 NR
Leave Me Be Sonny and Cher 1966 NR
Salvatore “Sonny” Bono’s father was born in Italy.
This song was written by Chris White of the Zombies.
Six Nights a Week Crests with Johnny Maestro (John Mastrangelo) 1959 #28 H100 #16 RB
Italiano Frankie Avalon (Francis Avallone) 1962 NR
Taken from a 1962 album called “Italiano” on which he sings in both English and Italian.
CLOSING THEME: Sleep Walk – Santo and Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)
Trivia Answer
“Walk Don’t Run” made the top 10 twice: in 1960 (#2) when Nokie Edwards played bass and again in 1964 (#8) when he played lead guitar.
Congratulations to Mike from the City of Ithaca for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Cinemapolis, downtown Ithaca’s home for first-run, international, independent and local films.
Glossary of Terms:
DNC = did not chart
NR = not released as a single at the time
H100 = Billboard Hot 100
RB = Billboard’s chart of rhythm and blues records
Host October 19, 2024: John Simon
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Thanks again to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!
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