The Wrecking Crew
On this date August 17, 1994. Almost 30 years after their release, 5 albums by The Monkees were certified Platinum for sales of 1,000,000 copies or more.
"Headquarters"-released June 1, 1967 2x Platinum
"More Of The Monkees"-released February 1, 1967 5x Platinum
"Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd.- released November 1, 1967 2x Platinum
"The Birds, The. Bees, and The Monkees - released April 1, 1968 Platinum
"The Monkees" released October 1, 1966 5x Platinum.
#themonkees #PlatinumRecords #thewreckingcrew #60smusic #popmusic #mikenesmith #PeterTork #davyjones #mickydolenz
Remembering pianist, organist, bandleader and arranger Ernie Freeman who was born on this date August 16, 1922 in Cleveland, OH.
In 1935 he began playing in local Cleveland area nightclubs, and also formed a classical music trio for local social functions with his father and his sister Evelyn. Around 1939, he and Evelyn formed a new band, The Evelyn Freeman Swing Band, with fellow teenagers from Cleveland Central High School.
After leaving the Navy in 1945 Ernie entered the Cleveland Institute of Music, from which he graduated with a BA degree. In 1946 he moved with his family to Los Angeles, to attend the University of Southern California where he received his master's degree in music composition.
In Los Angeles, he played in clubs. After a spell as arranger for Woody Herman he joined the Ernie Fields Orchestra, playing the piano. Other members of the band included saxophonists Earl Bostic and Plas Johnson, guitarist Rene Hall, and drummer Earl Palmer.
Freeman played on numerous early rock and R&B sessions in Los Angeles, California, in the 1950s, particularly on the Specialty, Modern, and Aladdin labels, as well as for white artists such as Duane Eddy and Bobby Vee.
In 1955, and began releasing a number of instrumental records of his own, at first on Cash Records. In 1956 he was signed by Imperial Records, where he released 29 singles and seven LPs over the next seven years.
In 1958 the Ernie Fields Orchestra, including Freeman, became the house band for the newly formed Rendezvous record label. In 1961, with Palmer, Johnson, and René Hall, they began recording as B. Bumble and the Stingers. Freeman also performed with and arranged for the Routers and their parallel group the Marketts.
He continued a successful session career in the 1960s, arranging and appearing on material by Frank Sinatra ("That's Life", "Strangers in the Night"), Connie Francis ("Jealous Heart", "Addio, mi' amore"), Dean Martin ("Everybody Loves Somebody", "Somewhere There's a Someone"), Johnny Mathis, and Petula Clark ("This Is My Song", "For Love"), and becoming musical director with Reprise Records.
From 1960 to 1969 he arranged virtually every session for Snuff Garrett at Liberty Records. In 1970 he contributed string arrangements to Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" album before his retirement later in the decade.
Freeman passed away May 16, 1981 at the age of 58.
#ErnieFreeman #composers #arrangers #keyboardists #thewreckingcrew
Last Train to Clarksville
On this date August 16, 1966, the debut single by The Monkees "Last Train To Clarksville" was released on Colgems Records. It was written and produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. The song went on to top the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending Nov. 5.
It was featured in seven episodes of the band's television series, the most for any Monkees song.
Hart has denied any connection by the song to the city of Clarksville, Tennessee, near Fort Campbell, the home of the 101st Airborne Division that was then serving in Vietnam. According to Hart, "We were just looking for a name that sounded good. There's a little town in northern Arizona I used to go through in the summer on the way to Oak Creek Canyon called Clarkdale. We were throwing out names, and when we got to Clarkdale, we thought Clarksville sounded even better."
The song was recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood on July 25, 1966.
Personnel:
Micky Dolenz – lead vocals
Wayne Erwin – guitar
Gerry McGee – guitar
Louis Shelton – guitar
Larry Taylor – bass
Billy Lewis – drums
Gene Estes – tambourine
#themonkees #countryrock #folkrock #boyceandhart #60smusic #60stvshows #thewreckingcrew #colgemsrecords
Last Train to Clarksville Provided to YouTube by RhinoLast Train to Clarksville · The MonkeesThe Best of The Monkees℗ 1966 Rhino Entertainment for the U.S and WEA International for th...
Fools Rush In
On this date August 15, 1963 Ricky Nelson's version of "Fools Rush In" was recorded at Western Recorders in Hollywood. The song was written in 1936 by Rube Bloom, and Johnny Mercer, and recorded by many different artists over the years.
Nelson's version was produced and arranged by Jimmie Haskell, and went on the peak at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Personnel on the recording:
Ray Johnson-piano
Tommy Tedesco-guitar
Donald Frost-drums
Joe Osborn-bass
James Burton-guitar
#rickynelson #ricknelson #thewreckingcrew #60smusic
Fools Rush In Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupFools Rush In · Rick NelsonLegacy℗ 1963 Capitol Records, LLCReleased on: 2000-01-01Orchestra Member: Jimmie Haske...
On this date August 15, 1964, the single "Everybody Loves Somebody" by Dean Martin Hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, knocking The Beatles single "A Hard Day's Night" out of that position.
The song was written in 1947 by Ken Lane and Irving Taylor, and previously recorded by Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and others. Martin's version was produced by Jimmy Bowen, and arranged by Ernie Freeman.
It ultimately replaced "That's Amore" as Martin's signature song, and he sang it as the theme of his weekly television variety show from 1965 to 1974.
The single was released in June of 1964 on Reprise Records.
It was recorded April 16 of the year at United Recording in Hollywood.
Members of The Wrecking Crew on that recording:
Hal Blaine-drums
Jerry Cole-guitar
Ray Pohlman-bass
Emil Richards-percussion
#deanmartin #60smusic #NumberOneRecords #thewreckingcrew #crooners #easylisteningmusic #JimmyBowen #repriserecords
Happy 79th birthday to songwriter, composer, and singer Jimmy Webb who was born on this date August 15, 1946 in Elk City, OK.
He achieved success at an early age, winning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the age of 21. During his career, he established himself as one of America's most successful and honored songwriter/composers.
Webb has written numerous platinum-selling songs, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "MacArthur Park", "Wichita Lineman", "Worst That Could Happen", "Galveston" and "All I Know". He had successful collaborations with Glen Campbell, Michael Feinstein, Linda Ronstadt, the 5th Dimension, the Supremes, Art Garfunkel and Richard Harris.
Webb was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1990. He received the National Academy of Songwriters Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993, the Songwriters Hall of Fame Johnny Mercer Award in 2003, the ASCAP "Voice of Music" Award in 2006 and the Ivor Novello Special International Award in 2012.
According to BMI, his song "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" was the third most performed song in the 50 years between 1940 and 1990. Webb is the only artist ever to receive Grammy Awards for music, lyrics and orchestration.
#jimmywebb #singersongwriters #composers #60smusic #70smusic #80smusic #songwritershalloffame #thewreckingcrew #grammyawardwinners #musiciansfromoklahoma #glencampbell
Art Fein, Cable TV Host & Author, Dies at 79: ‘The Ed Sullivan of Public Access TV’
There are a few people who always seemed to be around and always knew everyone in the music business. Art Fein was one of those special guys. He was an amazing guy who knew more about the history of the music world them the ones that created the music.
Art came into my life 2 times when I needed him the most. The first time, I was too young to know how much I needed him. It was my first job in the film business, a film called 'Eating Raoul'. For those who remember, it was a very dark and twisted comedy from 1983 staring Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov. For those who don't remember, it wasn't a porno.
I was hired as a set dresser/decorator. I knew nothing at all. I shouldn't have been hired but got lucky. The characters, Paul and Mary were stuck in a time warp of the 1950s decor and props around the room. Most of the film was shot in a little apartment on Hollywood Blvd where the Galaxy Theater ended up in the 1990s. It was August and it was hot with no air conditioning. If you remember the story line, Paul and Mary find themselves living in an apartment with Hollywood Swingers. Degenerats that won't be missed so Paul and Mary end up going on a killing spree. (with a frying pan). Why am I telling you all of this. This apartment was Arts!! It was already decorated like the 1950s/ early 60s. So I didn't really didn't do much! Art did it all. That was the first time Art saved me.
Many years later, we met again at a set breakfast where Dave Gold from Goldstar, Hal Blaine, Don Randi, and others would meet. Enter Art for the 2nd time in my life. I told him what I was doing and he was so kind enough to connect me with a major donor for the Wrecking Crew Documentary. If it wasn't for Art, who knows.
He will be missed but not forgotten. He made his mark.
If you decide to watch Eating Raoul, I was young and eager so I volunteered for everything. See if you can spot me. I played the dead bodies and was dragged in plastic bags. But also a waiter! No lines. Oh well.
Art we miss you.
Art Fein, Cable TV Host & Author, Dies at 79: ‘The Ed Sullivan of Public Access TV’ Art Fein, a fixture of the L.A. music scene who achieved his greatest success as the host of Art Fein’s Poker Party, died on July 30. He was 79.
Sonny & Cher - I Got You Babe (Official Audio)
This week in August of 1965, Sonny & Cher had their first and only #1 single when "I Got You Babe" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 consecutive weeks. The song was written and produced by Sonny, and arranged by Harold Battiste. The single was released in June of that year on Atco Records, and appeared on their album "Look At Us".
It sold more than one million copies and was certified gold by the RIAA. It also reached number one in the United Kingdom and Canada.
They had released two singles previous to that. "Baby Don't Go" (#8) and "Just You" (#20).
Recording took place June 7, 1965 at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood.
Personnel:
Sonny & Cher-vocals
Barney Kessel – guitar
Steve Mann – guitar
Donald Peake – guitar
Ervan Coleman – guitar
Don Randi – piano
Michel Rubini – harpsichord
Lyle Ritz – bass guitar
Clifford Hils – upright bass
Frank Capp – drums
Julius Wechter – bells
Warren Webb – oboe
Morris Crawford – bassoon
#sonnyandcher #60smusic #NumberOneRecords #goldrecords #thewreckingcrew #folkrockmusic #goldstarstudios
Sonny & Cher - I Got You Babe (Official Audio) You're listening to the official audio for Sonny & Cher - "I Got You Babe" from the album 'Look At Us'. "I Got You Babe" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 1...
