0 10 Radio DJs Who Dropped Hot Wax Like Rock Stars

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 08/21/2025

Once upon a time, it was a 'thing' for radio DJs to go into a recording studio and cut records, just like any musical artist. It's a new day, so this rarely happens now. To acknowledge National Radio Day 2025 (August 20), I dug deep into the Powerhouse Radio vault to pull out 10 single tracks voiced by 'jocks' who explore love, comedy, entertainment, and message music in their records. Radio is still here, albeit trying to maintain listener numbers, while competing with digital, social media, the internet, television, and podcasting. The Guys Behind the Mic  You'll hear: 'Jocko' Douglas Henderson Sr. Bill 'Rosko' Mercer Joey Reynolds Bob Lewis Al Grannum Gary Byrd E. Rodney Jones Les Crane Don Imus Frankie 'Love Man' Crocker All of these gentlemen's creative tracks are from my personal record collection. I've selected short "fair use" segments for each song. You'll see each record label. A few of the labels had my initials written on them, a practice I started after having quite a few of my records stolen at a student center while I was in school (NYU). Most of the initials on a few labels have been covered over while preparing this project for you to hear. For timing length, I had to make a few digital audio edits in some of the clips. In days of old, very big hit records were informally called 'hot wax,' thanks to the plastic vinyl they were pressed on. Jocko According to Arnold Passman, in his book The Deejays, Philadelphia's Douglas 'Jocko' Henderson, early in his career, commanded his "rocket ship" show in New York City for two hours a night at the Palm Cafe in Harlem on WOV. This was after a two hour nightly commute from Philly. Henderson started in the City of Brotherly Love at WHAT, then moved over to WDAS. 'Jocko' had multiple record releases during his rise to fame, including "A Little Bit of Everything / Blast Off To Love" on New York City's Wand label. Here's Jocko with "Rhythm Talk," the McFadden and Whitehead hit. His version, like McFadden and Whitehead's, is on Philadelphia International Records. Henderson was active in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.  Your browser does not support the audio element. Listen to 30 seconds of Jocko's "Rhythm Talk.  Rosko Rosko was a giant in New York City FM radio at WNEW-FM during the 1970s. The station's rock music format was called 'underground' or 'progressive. Richard Neer observed the following in FM: The Rise and Fall of Rock Radio book about Bill 'Rosko' Mercer. "His music was a beautiful rainbow of influences, from Sam Cooke and early R&B to the latest fusion of jazz and rock to Eric Clapton's mournful blues. It was totally color-blind and a little daring, but not so risky that it didn't reward those who trusted Rosko's instincts." My own personal favorite Rosko memory was listening to him one evening when he aired "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mic Elf Agin)" by Sly & The Family Stone for the first time over and over and over and over again back-to-back. I guess he liked it! Listen to Rosko's "She (Power To Be)." Your browser does not support the audio element. Joey Reynolds Joey Reynolds is a guy who is not afraid to break the rules. On his website, he documents his radio career in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, and beyond. Will he ever stop working? You can see what he calls his expansive "Stationography" at thejoeyreynolds.com. His first radio job? Buffalo, New York (1956 - 1958)! I can't repeat some of the dicey stories I've heard about Joey. Here's a track that is a great comedic production. You'll glean a part of his segment in the song "Ma Bell You Got Me By The Calls/Memphis." Enjoy Joey Reynolds & The Phonees.  Your browser does not support the audio element. Bob Lewis Mr. Bob Lewis was another New York City radio fixture at WABC, then at WNEW-FM. Richard Neer, a WNEW-FM colleague of Lewis says "Bobaloo" was a big bear of a man. He had a perfect radio voice, silky smooth, deep, and mellow, which resulted in a burgeoning voice-over career." I remember as a young boy singing along with the "Bobaloo" Lewis WABC jingle. Very cool.  These next two songs reflect DJ social activism, a pursuit that probably will never fade away as long as people have a conscience. Bob Lewis puts his serious spin on "Johnny Comes Marching Home."  Your browser does not support the audio element.   Al Grannum Al is on the left. The others I'll leave unidentified, as I can't confirm without a doubt who they are. I was luck enough to work with Al 'Granulated' Grannum at both WLIB in New York City, and again at WUSS in Atlantic City, NJ. Al turned me on to the Doo Wop musical genre. This is a Black style of singing, popular before my time, that features intricate vocal harmonies. Grannum educated me about this music. He wrote the liner notes for a Sonny Til & the Orioles RCA album. Al was a knowledgeable expert in harmony laced R&B vocal music. Grannum passed away on January 4, 2013 at the age of 72. Similar to Bob Lewis' offering, here is Al Grannum and His Granulated Souls questioning "Why Is It?"  Your browser does not support the audio element. Gary Byrd Gary Byrd has one thing in common with Joey Reynolds. In different decades, they both started their radio careers in Buffalo, New York. My very first interview, as a student, was with Byrd, on the Queens, New York City enclosed front porch of the detached WWRL AM building. I lugged a huge reel-to-reel tape recorder there to capture our one hour conversation about radio, music, city life and culture. Here's 5 minutes of my Gary Byrd interview, located at the bottom of the page that you'll land on. The station was in the flight path of LaGuardia Airport. You can hear the overhead jets periodically in the background during the hour-long audio interview. Gary released several singles on the Real Thing label, including a two-sided editorial gem "Every Brother Ain't a Brother / Are You Really Ready For Black Power." "Soul Travelin' Pt.1 and Pt. 2" is an excellent Byrd collaboration with The Jimmy Castor Bunch. Listen to my interview with Jimmy Castor and group musical director Gerry Thomas on YouTube. On the extremely creative "Soul Travelin'" track, Gary Byrd takes us on a six minute musical tour, showcasing a who's who of multiple R&B hit makers. This is wonderful storytelling. The Pt.1 label is shown. Listen, and enjoy the short sample I chose from the B side, Pt. 2.  Your browser does not support the audio element. E. Rodney Jones E. Rodney Jones from Texarkana, Arkansas, born Earl Rodney Jones (1927 - 2004), began his radio career in Kansas City. Next, St. Louis came calling. After the 'Gateway to the West City,' Jones navigated a career loop opportunity into the Windy City of Chicago. He was very successful. E. Rodney would become president of one of the first Black radio unions. His time at Chicago's WVON, ("Voice of the Negro"), helped the station become a nationwide powerhouse influence on rhythm and blues radio airplay. Rodney's story is fascinating. Leonard Chess was an early friend from Kansas City. Chess and brother Phil started Chess Records in Chicago, a huge label specializing in blues and R&B. Jones was in the Windy City at another station first, (WYNR), before WVON. Imagine this problem. Even after hiring him, the WYNR owner thought E. Rodney's voice was too Black. Jones was about to leave WYNR, but was rescued by Leonard Chess, who bought WVON and hired E. Rodney as the program director. There's a ton of more info about him, but I'll stop here. On Sly & The Family Stone's Stand album, you'll discover a fourteen minute marathon instrumental, "Sex Machine." E. Rodney Jones & Larry & The Hippies Band do "Right On - Right On (Sex Machine)" with mixed results. There may be too much Don Cornelius (Soul Train) onboard the musical vibe as a passenger. You be the judge.  Your browser does not support the audio element. Les Crane  According to IMDB, Les Crane was born on December 3, 1933 in New York City, New York. However, his claim to fame was representing the West Coast Hollywood style through media arts. He was a San Francisco TV talk-show host, an actor and a producer, best known for Love Serenade (1996), Burke's Law (1963) and I Love a Mystery (1973). Crane died on July 13, 2008 in Greenbrae, California. "Desiderata" is our only song that won a Grammy Award. It was a bona fide #8 hit in December of 1971, with Crane's spoken-word recording of Max Ehrmann's classic poem, "Desiderata." These are the song's statistics: Twelve weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 Ten weeks in the top 40 Three weeks in the top 10 Les Crane won the Grammy for "Best Spoken Word Recording" of 1971. Your browser does not support the audio element. Don Imus   John Donald Imus, Jr. (1940 - 2019), hailed from Riverside, California. Both the academic database ebsco.com, and Britannica.com offer great biographies of the I-man. Imus was raised near Kingman, Arizona on his family's cattle ranch. The teenage Imus was arrested in high school for fighting, was impeached as class president, and then joined the Marines at seventeen on the advice of his mother. Imus's first radio gig was as a morning disc jockey for a small station in Palmdale, California. His fame grew in the 1970s and 1980s while he performed as a "shock jock." Mr. Imus's influence began to tank in 2007, when he made racially insensitive remarks about the Rutgers University women's basketball team. As a result, he was fired from CBS Radio and MSNBC television. I'm not sure which is the 'A' side of his selected RCA single. You normally can tell from the numbering / lettering system on the disc. The flip side of this single, "Son of Checkers (The Watergate Case)," is a classic example of a Flying Saucer gimmick record. You won't hear this one. Flying Saucer recordings are song clips introduced by a newscaster or announcer for comedic effect, using a sample of an original hit song (not a cover) to answer the statement of the questioner. The other side of "Son of Checkers..." is "Oh Billy Sol Please Heal Us All." Preacher Billy Sol is a nice Imus parody of Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, and other evangelical holy men who once reined supreme, only to fall from grace. "Oh Billy Sol Please Heal Us All" is a better example of Don Imus doing what he does.   Your browser does not support the audio element. Frankie Crocker   I somewhat like the headline from The New York Times Obituary, October 24, 2000. Frankie Crocker, a Champion of Black-Format Radio, Dies. Yes he was a champion of Black Radio, but what he programmed wasn't stereotypically Black. You can learn much by observing and talking. I learned a lot just by interacting with Frankie while I engineered his 4pm - 8pm WBLS FM program for about one year, sitting on the other side of the glass. "The glass" is a large window that divides a studio in two. One side is for the technician, at this station, that was me. The other side is for the talent / performer. Crocker, another Buffalo, NY export is credited for coining the phrase, "urban contemporary" in the 1970s. Yes, his mix was an eclectic one that changed over time. While writing 10 Radio DJs Who Dropped Hot Wax Like Rock Stars, I looked over some of my WBLS 'inside the station only' playlists that I retained after leaving "Stereo In Black" during their early days. An hour music clock format was broken down (from the top of the hour) this way in order of directed play: Album Cut by an established artist Jazz Cut R&B Top 10 I won't expose all of the numerical elements or the artists, but slots are assigned for Latin, Blues, R&B Single and other categories with explicit instructions not to drop certain segments within the hour. Yes, this was very eclectic for Black radio at the time (early 1970s). As mentioned, Frankie started in his home town of Buffalo, NY at WUFO playing R&B and Jazz. Other stints in Pittsburgh, PA and Los Angeles, CA prepared him for the limelight in the Big Apple, New York City. WWRL AM, WMCA AM, and WLIB FM which would eventually change call letters to WBLS FM are other NYC stops for the self proclaimed "Chief Rocker." Frankie Crocker, (1937 - 2000), is credited as the artist on many singles and albums that he recorded. I chose "Confession of Love" for this '10 guys behind the mic' profile. "Confessions..." personifies what got Frankie over big time with radio listeners, and that is his suave, cool, sophisticated 'love man' personality. I have a ton of personal Frankie stories. He once bet me during his show that I could not tightly air a double play of the same song by separating it with only a 5 second jingle. The challenge was to start the jingle over the song end fade, then cue the song up again so the song would start immediately after the jingle ended. No dead air (silence) in the bet was allowed. We played records from turntables in the early 1970s. I was always extremely fast in mixing multiple control board elements, (songs, jingles, ads), and I won the bet. Explanation. Mr. Crocker could have just gotten a second copy of the record from the music library, so I could use a second turntable in the studio! By the way, the single was "Get on the Good Foot - Part 1" by James Brown. Here is "Confession of Love." I can't confirm, but I believe the group The Moments are singing the background vocals, as this song is on an early Sylvia Robinson (Sugarhill fame) label out of Englewood, NJ. The Moments are Harry Ray, Al Goodman, and Billy Brown, who eventually recorded and performed as Ray, Goodman and Brown. They also recorded for Sylvia before moving on to Polydor Records.   Your browser does not support the audio element. If you enjoyed what you've read and heard, if you like my style of writing, and if you share my love of authentic history, you'll absolutely want to read or listen to my audiobook (that I read) Powerhouse Radio: Rough Roads, Radiance, and Rebirth; My True AM - FM - Satellite and Audio Streaming Survival Story. It's a highly rated, award winning memoir. Paperback, eBook, or audiobook. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Hall of Fame Radio Friendly Thom Bell

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 04/30/2025

Producer, composer, songwriter, and arranger Thom Bell is shown here in New York City arriving at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. On this night, he was inducted into the 2006 Songwriters Hall of Fame during their Awards presentation. In 2016, Mr. Bell entered the Musicians Hall of Fame. Now in 2025, we can add Rock Hall of Fame to this hit makers fantastic resume. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced Bell's induction in April. He is in the Rock - Hall category: Musical Excellence. Folks may know his name from on-air references shared by radio DJ's with their broadcast audience. If you read record liner notes, (or eyeball audio streaming notes), you surely have seen his name. Thom Bell worked with all of the popular soulful acts in and out of Philadelphia, PA. Like Barry White, he was an innovator, using instrumentation and arrangements that charted fresh directions for R&B. My favorite Bell quote: "Invariably, when other producers and musicians would say that my sounds were odd for R&B, I would just tell them, 'I don’t do R&B — I do music.'" Dionne Warwick, The Spinners, Elton John, Dusty Springfield, The O'Jays, The Delfonics, The Stylistics and too many more to mention were touched by the magic of Thom Bell. In 1986, Bell along with his songwriting partner, the late Linda Creed, wrote this song for Phyllis Hyman, "Old Friend." This ballad has a special meaning for me. In my book, Powerhouse Radio: Rough Roads, Radiance, and Rebirth, you'll see a picture of me and Phyllis after she performed at a concert in which I introduced her on stage. We lost Thom Bell in 2022. He is a giant of late twentieth century contemporary music. If you are new to his legacy, discover on YouTube his vibe through the artists he worked with. Here are some other thoughts about Thom Bell and the music personalities he's worked with in other articles that I've written...  Elton John Diamonds Jerry Butler: The Ice Man Cometh and More The Delfonics Debut Harmonic Philly Soul Philadelphia International Records Studio Saved From Inferno Dionne Warwick Tracks The Cat To Philly Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia Five Fine Phyllis Hyman Favorites Patti LaBelle and Smokey Robinson To Host The Pioneer Awards   Previous Post | Next Post

0 Soul of the Beatles

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 11/15/2023

Soul of the Beatles past and present Why has everyone under the sun recorded John Lennon - Paul McCartney songs? Why have artists from all genres recorded Beatles music? Because whether it was John, Paul, George Harrison, or Ringo Starr, the fab four are icons of twentieth century music.  Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. even note the iconic status of the Lennon - McCartney songwriting team in the subtitle of their 2021 record Blackbird. In the early 2000s, I named one of my two online music streams fabfoursoul. You'd hear all Beatles music performed by R&B, soul, and jazz artists. I mention it in my book Powerhouse Radio: Rough Roads, Radiance, and Rebirth. Read on to discover more about the fascination hundreds of musical performers share with Beatles songs. Recently, I finally listened, for the first time to all of the songs on the McCoo & Davis CD multiple times. Lucky for me and other CD owners with a paper package, Marilyn and Billy present written social posts we can see within the art space on the CD jackets. You don't get that if you pick their MP3 downloads. There are six panels containing art. The cover above is a "say their name" tribute. Whose name? People who are no longer with us due to murder, violence and hate. Another panel shows a timeline titled Blackbird Tears listing eighteen violent attacks on Black churches and worshippers from 1822 to 2019. Yet another page takes a lighter tone. Davis & McCoo are depicted in a colorful illustration brushed in oil painting style. The pair walk cross "Abbey Road." The depiction mimics the famous cover from the Beatles album. One super benefit of the CD: complete song lyrics are printed in an easily readable font size inside of a stapled booklet. The songs "Got to Get You Into My Life" featuring Yancyy "The Fool on the Hill" featuring Natalie Hanna Mendoza "Blackbird" "Yesterday" "Ticket to Ride" "The Long and Winding Road" "Silly Love Songs" "Help!" "(Just Like) Starting Over" featuring James Gadson "And I Love Her" The Marilyn and Billy husband and wife team have called their record "Blackbird." If you are not familiar with the reason why Lennon - McCartney wrote "Blackbird," I will point you to an audio interview McCoo & Davis Jr. did that partially explains the social awareness of their album name and covers. See below for more information. Here's a summary of the CD. "Got to Get you Into My Life" is sung in a medium tempo by Billy who takes the lead with help from Yancyy. This one is breezy, bouncy, jazzy and soulful. The explosive energy igniting Earth, Wind & Fire's "Got To Get You Into My Life" is still my favorite cover version. "Fool on the Hill" gets a slow to medium pop treatment and reminds me of the 5th Dimension's "Love Lines, Angles and Rhymes" in the way it is orchestrated. Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. were members of the hit making group the 5th Dimension. You may not know the 5th Dimension, but you've heard their songs. "Fool on the Hill" features McCoo, Davis, and Natalie Hanna Mendoza sharing lead vocals. Nice! "Blackbird." This is my favorite song in their collection. Marilyn's lead carries the song's gospel overtone while she is accompanied by a sublime choir. Crafted orchestral touches are prominent in the arrangement. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. have different vocal styles. They do know how to blend them together on duet parts. Marilyn's controlled voice has lots of pop appeal. That's why the 5th Dimension were so successful back in the day. Billy Davis Jr.'s song styling is harder edge with a subtle touch of R&B rasp when he sings solo. He's smooth, but reminds me of Johnnie Taylor, Wilson Pickett and Charles Bradley. That's a compliment. Track four, "Yesterday," features McCoo immersed in a medium to up-tempo Bossa nova style. Think South American and Brazil. Think Astrud Gilberto and Flora Purim. The treatment is jazzy. Marilyn gives it a fine rendering. This song is the only one on the album that fades out. "Ticket to Ride," handled by Billy Davis Jr. is certainly bluesy. A blues guitar solo takes charge during this medium to up-tempo song. A touch of neck bone ad-libbing by Davis Jr. near the end of the song reminds you of traditional blues belting. "The Long and Winding Road" is done slowly with just enough rhythm to keep the pace toe tapping with a delightful beat. Marilyn sings this one close to the Beatles original. It's the closest cover on the record to a Beatles original version. I really like "Silly Love Songs." It is the only real up-tempo song here.  The rapid pace echoes an Al Green - Willie Mitchell produced styled (but faster) with lots of horns that even Isaac Hayes would love. Billy Davis Jr. takes the Paul McCartney song and gives it new life with his strong delivery. We get a tight 4 minute 18 second song rather than the almost 6 minute Wings original. "Silly Love Songs" was written by Linda and Paul McCartney and appears on their album Wings at the Speed of Sound (by Paul McCartney & Wings). You might choose something else, but this is my second place personal favorite on this collection. Songs eight, nine, and ten are fine and should be slotted where they are. "Help!" is turned into a slow ballad. I wasn't expecting that. The Beatles original is fast. You get some good emotional expression here from Billy Davis Jr. in this slow interpretation. "Help!" is sung with spiritual soul that exposes the desperation of the original song lyrics. This one is different. "(Just Like Starting) Over" featuring James Gadson is light and bouncy with a big pop treatment style that opens with dare I say a touch of new jack swing! This is a charming, middle of the road duet. It is not father John Lennon's style. I had to pull out the original 12 inch vinyl single from my library to listen to the John Lennon original (off of the John Lennon / Yoko Ono album Double Fantasy). The Lennon version teases with nostalgia. Music artist Big Bopper and other styles from the 1950s and 1960s are used while Lennon frolics along with a heavy rock and roll beat. Finally, "And I Love Her," presents Billy and Marilyn trading duet and lead parts giving the tune a sweet, torch song treatment. If you like Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. and the Beatles, then you'll like "Blackbird." The McCoo - Davis Jr. versions are strong. Musicians backing the songs are excellent. Beatles: Motown, folk, reggae, acappella, and more Here are five other soul of the Beatles albums that are quite good. Motown Meets the Beatles: seventeen songs are on the CD released in 1995. Who doesn't love The Supremes, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jr. Walker, Edwin Starr, and Syreeta. All of the Beatles favorites are here along with the feel-good Motown Motor City magic. It is wonderful to listen to Diana Ross in her prime singing John Lennon's "Imagine." That's one of the standouts. We played this version often in our fabfoursoul R&B, jazz online Beatles stream.   Richie Havens sings eleven of the eighteen Sings Beatles and Dylan songs from the Beatles songbook. Subtitled Old & New Together & Apart, this CD dropped in 1987. Vocals are mixed upfront so you can hear the clarity of Haven's voice. Acoustic guitar, synth-bass, drums, electric guitars, conga, and percussion is all that's needed to convey the Beatles musical message. Top notch. As 2001 rolled in, the Snapper Music label released A Reggae Tribute to The Beatles. There are thirty-two tracks on this double CD. Among the artists, John Holt might be the most familiar. He sings two songs, including John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." All reggae and all Beatles. Nuff said.   This is the back of the CD that I chose instead of the front so you can easily see the songs. The Persuasions are an all voice only group. Their style is commonly called acappella. KEM who sings "Doo Wop Christmas (That's What Christmas Is All About)" is a contemporary acappella group. What do you get with no instruments other than the authentic human voice? You get a street corner vocal style with The Persuasions giving you Beatles melodies with soul.   Soul Tribute to the Beatles was released in 2003. You can see the artists above. Fats Domino, Otis Reading, and Esther Phillips are performers you might not expect. As I've already noted, everyone in music could record the Beatles without any fear or reservations. I had digitized just under 400 tracks from R&B, soul and jazz performers belting out the Beatles during the days when I presented the fabfoursoul online stream that won a Best of Live365 station award. Here's one song that was very different. James Brown's version of "Something," was written by George Harrison. I found Brown's "Something" on the 'B' side of one of his hit 45 RPM vinyl singles. James' version is unique! It's certainly soulful, certainly unexpected, and certainly James Brown. Tropical Tribute to the Beatles A sixth bonus for you is below. Our Latin community amigos can't be left out. "Live" from Radio City Music Hall: Tropical Tribute to the Beatles was released on DVD in 2003. Video clarity shot at the New York City venue is not 2023 high definition 4K quality, but it's good enough to experience exciting Latin flavor lighting up Beatles songs. Thirteen performances are captured live. Half of the songs are sung in Spanish. Half are sung in English. A couple of the featured stars are Tito Nieves who sings "Let It Be" accompanied by percussionist Tito Puente on timbales / drums. Celia Cruz closes out the show singing "Obladi Oblada." How do you sing "Obladi Oblada" in Spanish?" You sing "Obladi Oblada" and it works! Here are some of the many Beatles books in my library: Max Milk, Yellow Submarine, New American Library, 1968. This is a picture book building off of the "Yellow Submarine" movie based on the song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Edwin Goodgold and Dan Carlinsky, The Compleat Beatles Quiz Book, Warner Books, 1975.  What's inside: Questions about song lyrics Song rhymes to complete Song titles Beatle history Beatle travel trivia Beatle bio facts The Compleat Beatles Quiz Book also contains games and other fun stuff. Penelope Rowlands, The Beatles Are Here!, Algonquin Books, 2014. If you want to read what fans, musicians, disc jockeys, writers, and significant personalities of the Beatles era have to say, The Beatles Are Here! is the book for you. I learned a lot from this one. Organized into chapters, reflections of Beatles memories and influence are told by 50 folks including: Billy Joel Cyndi Lauper Renee Fleming Janis Ian "Cousin Brucie" Bruce Morrow, disc jockey David Dye, radio host Gay Talese, reporter Other musicians, writers, and fans talk about their connection to the Beatles in a historic context. The complete title: The Beatles Are Here!: 50 Years After the Band Arrived in America, Writers, Musicians, and Other Fans Remember."  More about Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. Summer of Soul…or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. Stay Sweet 5th Dimension Catalog to be Reissued  You'll find the location of the McCoo - Davis Jr. "Summer of Soul" and "Blackbird" interview in post #1. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Melba Moore: She Hangs On, Tougher Than Nails

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 06/28/2023

There's a long history of Melba Moore appearing with the song writing and performing duo Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Melba has released "It Seems To Hang On," a single off of her 2022 album "Imagine" recorded on her daughter's record label. In the original song video, close to the beginning, Melba thanks you, and Ashford and Simpson for opening doors for her when all of them first started in the music industry. The video below is the commercial release version. Melba's take on "It Seems To Hang On" is quite different from the dance driven Ashford and Simpson original. This new version, propelled by a strong bass line and accompanying synthesizers, is slower than the original and puts the focus on Melba's unique, charming, evocative voice. It's a modern arrangement and approach to the song. Here are Melba Moore's top 5 R&B hits in order: "This Is It" (Buddah Records) "Lean On Me" (Buddah) "You Stepped Into My Life" (Epic) "Take My Love" (EMI America) "Love's Comin’ At Ya" (EMI America) One of my personal favorites, not in the top 5, was her 1986 hit song "Falling." She was born in Harlem, New York. Melba Moore appeared in the Broadway and movie productions of Hair and in the musical Purlie. You may have caught her in the movies Def By Temptation and The Fighting Temptations. For more about Melba Moore and Ashford and Simpson: Ashford & Simpson Bring Classic Soul Back To The Apollo Hair Raising Melba Moore is Still Here Ashford & Simpson Send It Ashford and Simpson High Rise Ashford and Simpson Cook Up Haute Hit Cuisine Over a decade ago, Nicholas Ashford passed away (2011). I enjoyed a great dinner with live entertainment (not by Nick and Val) at their Manhattan, New York City restaurant Sugar Bar on 72nd Street. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Harry Belafonte's Carnegie Hall Activism

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 04/27/2023

Major League Baseball lovers may or may not know that it's Harry Belafonte's sonic shout-out that occasionally serenades home town stadium attendees. The audio blast is used to generate fan excitement for the home town team. Among my late mother's Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Dick Gregory, Aretha, and Sinatra records is this two-disc Harry Belafonte gem recorded at Carnegie Hall, New York City on April 19 and 20, 1959. RCA released the double album in 1959. Here's 14 seconds of Mr. Belafonte's "Day-O" anthem from the evening's performance.  Your browser does not support the audio element. That night Harry sang with a single guitar accompanied by bongos. He also festively crooned along with a 47-piece symphony orchestra. Always the activist and philanthropist, Harry Belafonte donated $58,000 from one night of this two-night gig to the Wiltwyck School. Wiltwyck School worked with boys experiencing emotional disabilities. Harry Belafonte, R.I.P. (1927 -2023). The decade you were born in usually defines your musical affinities. Sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties... if you were in high school in one of those decades, your favorite music probably comes from that era. As I write in my book Powerhouse Radio: Rough Roads, Radiance, and Rebirth "My love of radio's pulsating magnetic sound track in the 1960s was a strong attraction as I entered my preteen years. Sadly, middle-of-the-road crooners Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald were not my personal soundtrack. "These were the singers my mother listened to on the 'standards' music station WNEW AM in New York City. 'Standards' were calm, pre-rock-era vocals. My appreciation for the Cole–Fitzgerald song era would blossom later with maturity." So here's a well honored toast to maturity, and a "Day-O" salute to Harry Belafonte, the activist, philanthropist, actor, and music man who left his lyrical mark on popular culture. Watch and listen to Harry in this 64 second video talking about his 2011 book Harry Belafonte My Song: A Memoir? I posted the video in 2011 as part of my review of his book for my Black History website. Previous Post | Next Post

0 Songwriter Salute to Reggie Calloway

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 11/10/2022

"Impossible Blues" is the one song I wrote as a teen. I've memorized the first two verses, but a bridge and refrain lyric have eluded me for years. It's a song to be continued. Songwriters become known when one or more of their songs becomes hits or their vibrant words survive through social impact in popular culture. Reggie Calloway is a songwriter I've admired for years. I've played his tracks performed by others during my shows on the radio. When the hits stop coming or focus shifts, many artists sell their intellectual property to the large companies who buy up song catalogues. Whitney Houston, Bob Dylan, and Barry Manilow are just a few who have sold their entire song portfolios. Beyonce', Justin Timberlake, and Olivia Newton-John have sold individual songs. Reggie Calloway is no different. I noticed that Mr. Calloway was offering a five percent writer's share of two of his hit songs back in 2009. You'll learn more about these songs after I explain more. Reggie retained Songvest, the first online music marketplace to offer fans and investors the ability to purchase a writer's share from their favorite songs and artists. My bids for both "Love Overboard" and "Freak-A-Zoid" did not meet the reserve price which is the minimum bid the seller will accept. When the auction was extended because no one met the reserve price for these two songs, I bid again for both songs seeking 1.5% of Reggie's writer's share. There were other Reggie Calloway songs in the auction. I won both bids offering several hundred dollars for each 1.5% share. Today I consider the price a real bargain. Here are my gold and platinum record presentations complete with Reggie Calloway's handwritten lyrics. The awards are enclosed in two large cases that are both 30-1/2 inches tall, and 18-1/2 inches wide. That's "Love Overboard" from Gladys Knight and The Pips on the left," certified gold for 500,000 album, cassette, and CD sales. "Freak-A-Zoid" from Midnight Star is on the right certified multi-platinum for two million album, cassette, and CD sales. Here's more about Reggie Calloway from part of his official biography shared with me by his marketing manager. ----- "Creating music that rings in the heart of souls has been a breeze for the Grammy songwriter, Reggie Calloway. "His prolific talent as a top music producer, hit writer, musician and artist has attracted some of the biggest names in the music industry. "Best known as the founder and leader of one of the most popular techno-funk bands, Midnight Star, Calloway lead the group to international success, writing producing and arranging a string of top mega #1 hits: "Operator" "No Parking On The Dance Floor" "Freak-A-Zoid" "Reggie Calloway is from Ohio. He earned the respect of music industry insiders for consistently writing a string of Grammy-nominated #1 hits for Teddy Pendergrass, Natalie Cole, and LeVert. "Mr. Calloway has produced several multi-platinum and gold albums. "In 1987 Reggie wrote "Love Overboard" for Gladys Knight and The Pips which won a Grammy Award. "Reggie received a Grammy nomination for R&B Songwriter of the year for the hit song "Casanova" by LeVert in 1987. He remains active today dazzling us with the magic of his music!"  Previous Post | Next Post

0 16 Powerhouse Radio Summertime Song Favorites

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 08/11/2022

A week ago I updated 13 Powerhouse Radio Summertime Favorites to the new list below. The original thirteen songs were mixed from my vinyl or CD library to a standalone CD in 2007. Unfortunately modern cars no longer have CD players. One song was not included this time: "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer" by Stevie Wonder. Just an oversight. Today, the summer playlist is expanded to sixteen tracks lasting fifty-nine minutes. My current automobile without CD player does have one USB port. Two previous cars had a couple of USB ports in each vehicle (without CD players). Time marches on! Today, this playlist lives, as one premixed track on a thumb drive that I can listen to at home, in the office, or while driving. You may want to try it as a Spotify playlist. The song order has been updated from the older version to maximize emotional enjoyment: "Picnic In the Park" - MFSB "Summertime" - Will Smith "Summertime" - MFSB "Summertime" - Janis Joplin with Big Brother & the Holding Company "Summertime" - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong "Summer Snow" - Blue Magic "Indian Summer Love" - Con Funk Shun "My Sweet Summer Suite" - Love Unlimited Orchestra (Barry White) "Summertime" - Billy Stewart "Summertime" - Sam Cooke "Summer Madness" - Kool & The Gang "It's Summer" - War "Hot Fun in the Summertime" - Sly & the Family Stone "Long Hot Summer" - Jimi Hendrix Experience "Summer Breeze" - Isley Brothers "Cruel Summer" - Bananarama Previous Post | Next Post

0 Elton John Diamonds

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith
• 05/21/2020

I don't buy many CDs anymore, but I finally took the plunge to grab a lifetime of tracks created by a music maker that I've enjoyed for many years. You can say I've enjoyed him from the very beginning of his career. With only a couple of of seven-inchers and one twelve-inch 45 RPM vinyl track from this performer among my countless collection, it was time to get Elton John Diamonds at a great price. Diamonds is a three CD set with all of his hits and heavies. When you think of Elton John and Philadelphia, you might think of "Philadelphia Freedom." I was especially in the hunt for the overlooked Philly gem "Mama Can't Buy You Love." "Mama," included on the third CD is a very soulful track produced in the spirit of hit maker Thom Bell, the Spinners, and other Philly music stars of the 1970s. Leroy Bell and Casey James produced "Mama Can't Buy You Love" for Elton. Bell & James had their own solo hit in 1979 "Livin' It Up (Friday Night). Leroy Bell's uncle is Thom Bell. Here's a quick 56 second sample of "Mama Can't Buy You Love." The full length of the song clocks in at just under four minutes - about 30 seconds too long because of the monotonous yet silky smooth chorus that pads out the song until it ends! Your browser does not support the audio element. You have to lean into Elton John's ballads for the songs that made him a musical icon. You'll find them all on Diamonds: "Your Song," "Tiny Dancer," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," etc. My one disappointment was "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" presented as a live duet. George Michael and Elton John share the mic. This version is good, but I really wanted the solo Elton effort. I could have consumed more background material from the CD liner notes. There's not much info. You get the track list, writers, and song producers. That's it. However, if you only care about the songs, they are all here for you to enjoy! Elton John Diamonds. lapidarians rejoice! Previous Post | Next Post

0 The 20 Best Stax Records Songs

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith and guest
• 05/29/2017

  I can't recommend enough Robert Gordon's excellent book Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion. Robert takes you into "The Spirit of Memphis," the California dreamin' of Wattstax, and the buffet of "Green Onions" from Booker T. Jones (and supporting cast). Above is a photo I took of Booker T. Jones in April, 2011 at a private performance in Washington, D.C. To catch up on the song history of Stax Records and the staying power of the label's music, see our Stax 50 Delivers Classic Soul Grand Slam Hits. What are the 20 Best Stax Records Songs of all time? The Paste Magazine staff has selected their choices. Their picks are almost perfect. You might guess who is at number one and number two. Scan through the list at the Paste Magazine website. Celebrate 60 years of Stax! You can bet the two guys on Robert Gordon's book cover below made the list, but at what number? Find out! Previous Post | Next Post

0 10 Classic Soul Songs To Enjoy

• Songs
• by Kingsley H. Smith and guest
• 07/20/2016

9 out of 10 ain't bad. Rob Patterson has an excellent selection of what he calls "10 Totally Cool Classic Rock/Soul Songs." His inclusion of 'classic rock' in the title is generous. Let's face it. Classic rock radio stations and online streams usually don't play any Black artists whether their sound fits or not. That's just the truth. Also, I disagree with his song pick for Aretha Franklin. You can understand why he passed on the obvious song choice. That would be too predictable. Read Rob's "10 Totally Cool Classic Rock/Soul Songs" at Best Classic Bands and watch the YouTube videos. Reminisce, remember, or reach for something new (if you are too young to have experienced them back in the day)! Previous Post | Next Post