Music Deaths: Paul Cotton of Poco

PAUL COTTON, 78

Died a August 2021

Guitarist / singer /songwriter.  longtime member of Poco.  Lead guitarist and singer for the group.

Wrote big hit of the group "Heart of the Night."   (#20-1979)

Poco also had hits with "Crazy Love" and "Call It Love."

Music Deaths: Dusty Hill, ZZ Top

DUSTY HILL, 72

Died 27 July 2021

Bass player for ZZ Top.

One of the two bearded guys.  One of my favorite bands.   Sang lead and backing vocals.  Sang lead on "Tush."

Loved those videos in the 80s.  Plus, always cool that the only member of the band without a beard was named Frank Beard.

WLS Top Ten for Week of September 27, 1971:

Just fifty short years ago, these were the top songs in Chicago according to WLS, 890 AM.

1.  MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE--  Rod Stewart

2.  GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL-- Donny Osmond

3.  SWEET CITY WOMAN--  Stampeders

4.   THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN--  Joan Baez

5.  I WOKE UP IN LOVE THIS MORNING--  Partridge Family

6.  MARIANNE--  Stephen Stills   (Without C, S or Y.)

7.  SPANISH HARLEM--  Aretha Franklin

8.  SUPERSTAR--  Carpenters

9.  STICK-UP--  Honey Cone

10.  DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN--  Lee Michaels

****************************

DEBUTS

23.  I'VE FOUND SOMEONE OF MY OWN--  The Free Movement   (I'd forgotten this one.)

26.  ONE FINE MORNING--  Lighthouse  (Still one of the greatest rockers and Those Horns!!)

29.  BIRDS OF A FEATHER--  Raiders

30.  RAIN DANCE--  Guess Who

WHAT ARE YOU DOING SUNDAY--  Dawn

 

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Virgil Caine Is My Name And I drove On The Danville Train."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"

Music Deaths: Willie Winfield (Harptones) and Nancy Griffith

WILLIE WINFIELD, 91

Died 27 July 2021

Lead singer with doo-wop group Harptones.    The group never had a Top 40 hit, but were influential. Bigger hits:

"Life Is But a Dream"  (featured on the movie soundtrack of "Goodfellas."

"Sunday Kind of Love"

*************************************

NANCY GRIFFITH, 68

Died 13 August 2021

Singer / songwriter, (Folk / country)

Loved her voice.  Better known as a country performer.  Check out her video with John Prine singing "The Speed of the Sound of Loneliness."

Music Deaths: Robby Steinhardt of Kansas (the Violin Player)

ROBBY STEINHARDT, 71

Died 17 July 2021

Violin player / vocalist with rock band Kansas, which he joined in 1973.

Imagine a violin in a rock band.  Well, if Jethro Tull can gave a flute, I guess Kansas can have a violin.

Songs from Summer 1971-- Part 12: 'Walk Away'

These were the songs on the radio and in your record collection on September 5, 1971.  That's FIFTY years ago for those of you counting.  Some folks would even call it a half century ago.

GIMME SHELTER--  Grand Funk Railroad

MANDOLIN WIND--  Rod Stewart

NEVER ENDING SONG OF LOVE--  Delaney & Bonnie & Friends

SMILING FACES SOMETIMES--  Undisputed Truth

WALK AWAY--  James Gang   That would be Joe Walsh and band.

RESURRECTION SHUFFLE--  Ashton, Gardner & Dyke

AIN'T NO SUNSHINE--  Bill Withers    He knows.

ONLY THE BEGINNING--  Chicago

COLOUR MY WORLD--  Chicago

MARIANNE--  Stephen Stills

SWEET CITY WOMAN--  Stampeders

UNCLE ALBERT / ADMIRAL HALSEY--  Paul McCartney

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "We're So Sorry But We Haven't Heard A Thing All Day."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey"

Songs from the Summer 1971-- Part 11: 'I Just Want to Celebrate'

I was a junior at the University of Georgia at this time fifty years ago, having transferred at the end of my sophomore year from Northern Illinois University.  My parents and family were now living in Dunwoody, Georgia, Atlanta northern suburbs.  My parents gave me a 1963 Rambler station wagon to go to school.

But, a big reason I transferred was to go to a school with a big football program, which Georgia definitely had.  Vince Dooley coached the team which ended the season with an 11-1 record, good for second place in the SEC and a #7 AP ranking.  That was a fun year, but I couldn't get over the students attending the games wearing suits and evening dresses.  That just wasn't done at Northern.

HEART OF THE COUNTRY--  Paul McCartney  Bob Stroud always plays two Beatle songs at 9 am when Terri Hemmert ends her Breakfast With the Beatles show on WXRT.

BANGLADESH--  George Harrison

GETTING IN TUNE--  Who

I JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE--  Rare Earth

MERCY MERCY ME--  Marvin Gaye

RIDERS ON THE STORM--  Doors

DON'T GO NEAR THE WATER--  Beach Boys

I FEEL THE EARTH MOVE--  Carole King

LIAR--  Three Dog Night     A song that always reminds me of PLC Class at Quantico, Virginia, that summer.

BITCH--  Rolling Stones

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Won't Ever Leave If You Want Me To Stay."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Liar"

Songs From Summer of 1971-- Part 10: 'Indian Reservation'

These were the songs on the radio and in your record collection fifty years ago on September 5, 1971.  Every summer Bob Stroud on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, Classic Rock, goes back four times to that summer fifty years ago and does this.

MAGGIE MAY--  Rod Stewart

I'D LOVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD-- 10 Years After

SWEET HITCHHIKER--  Creedence Clearwater Revival

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN--  Lee Michaels

BEWARE OF DARKNESS--  Leon Russell

THE STORY IN YOUR EYES--  Moody Blues

SIMPLE SISTER--  Procul Harum

INDIAN RESERVATION--  Raiders

SIGNS--  Five Man Electric Band

MOONSHADOW--  Cat Stevens

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Was Riding Along Side The Highway Rollin' Up The Countryside."   Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Sweet Hitchhiker"

WLS Top Ten for September 20, 1971: 'Maggie May'

Fifty years ago on Chicago's WLS AM 890.

1.  GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL--   Donny Osmond

2.  THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN--  Joan Baez

3.  I WOKE UP IN LOVE THIS MORNING--  Partridge Family

4.  SPANISH HARLEM--  Aretha Franklin

5.  STICK UP--  Honey Cone

6.  MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE--  Rod Stewart

7.  AIN'T NO SUNSHINE--  Bill Withers

8.  MARIANNE--  Stephen Stills

9.  WEDDING SONG-- Paul Stookey

10.  ALL DAY MUSIC--  War

********************************

DEBUTS

28.  YO YO--  Osmonds

29.  TIRED OF BEING ALONE--  Al Green

30.  IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME-- Stevie Wonder

ONE FINE MORNING--    Lighthouse

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Virgil Kane Is My Name And I Served On The Danville Train."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"

WLS Top 30 for Week of September 13, 1971-- Part 5: 'All Day Music'

The top 30 songs in Chicago fifty years ago.  That long?

*  Means the song is climbing the charts.  The number after the artist is how high the song got in the Billboard National Hot 100 chart.

10.  I WOKE UP IN LOVE THIS MORNING--   Partridge Family    That Susan Dey, ow!!

9.  UNCLE ALBERT/ADMIRAL HALSEY--  Paul and Linda McCartney

8.  STICK UP--  Honey Cone

7.  TAKE ME GIRL, I'M READY--  Jr. Walker & the All Stars

6.  WEDDING SONG--  Paul Stookey   We played this song at our wedding August 25, 1973.

5.  THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN--  Joan Baez

4.  ALL DAYMUSIC--  War

3.  SPANISH HARLEM--  Aretha Franklin

2.  AIN'T NO SUNSHINE--  Bill Withers     I Know, I know, I Know.

1.  GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL--  Donny Osmond   Do you think Bob Stroud played this song as Chicago's #1 song back when he did Part 4 of his Summer of '71 Roots Salute?

Name That Tune (from the above  songs):  "It's Not Warm When She's Away."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Ain't No Sunshine"

Sure Won't Be Watching the Emmys Tonight

Essentially the same reason I don't watch the Oscars or the Grammys.  I have no one to pull for because I haven't seen hardly anything nominated.  Just takes the fun out of it.

I mostly watch network TV.  And the Emmy people don't like the networks.

There is absolutely no drama that I watch nominated nor even any people in them.

Comedy is just barely better with just one sitcom, "black-ish" nominated as well as Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, "black*ish" 's actor and actress for best as well as Allison Jamey for "Mom" best actress.

Oh, Well.  --RoadDog

PREGNANCY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:  Q.  How will I know if my vomiting is morning sickness or the fly?    A.  If it's the flu, you'll get better.

WLS Top 30 for Week of September 13, 1971-- Part 4: 'Marianne'

15.  DEEP BLUE--  George Harrison   Flip side of "Bangladesh" which went to #23.    I don't remember this one.

14.  THE STORY IN YOUR EYES--  Moody Blues    #23    Formed in Birmingham, England.  Their first hit was "Go Now!" which went to #10 in 1965.

13.  MAGGIE MAY / REASON TO BELIEVE--   Rod Stewart     #1      The first song always takes me right back to the Sigma Phi Epsilon house at the University of Georgia.

12.  STAGGER LEE--  Tommy Roe      #25     Goes Soul?   His last Top 40.   Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in  1942.

11.  MARIANNE--  Steven Stills   #42   Born in Dallas, Texas, in 1945.   His biggest hit was  "Love the One You're With" which peaked at #14 in the earlier part of 1971.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "It's Late September And I Really Should Be Back At School."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Maggie May" or is it "Maggie Mae?"

WLS Top 30 for Week of September 13, 1971-- Part 3: 'Sweet City Woman'

* Means it was climbing the crat.  The number after the artists is how high the song got on Billboard's Hot 100 National Charts.

20.  RESURRECTION SHUFFLE--  Ashton, Gardner & Dyke     #40    Trio from England.  This was their only-ever Top 40 hit and it just DID make it.  Great song though.

19.  SWEET CITY WOMAN--  Stampeders     #8     From Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  They had one other Top 40 with "Hit the Road Jack" which went to #40 in 1976.

18.  SIGNS--  Five Man Electric Band    #3     From Ottawa, Canada.   What you got against long haired, freaky people?

17.  I AIN'T GOT TIME ANYMORE--  Glass Bottle     #36    Pop group from New Jersey.  Their only Top 40, which makes them you-know-what.

16.  SMILING FACES SOMETIMES--  Undisputed Truth     #3     R&B vocal trio from Detroit.  Their only Top 40.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "And the Sign Said  "Long-Haired Freaky People  Need Not Apply."  Answer below.   --RoadDog

"Signs"

Good Times Last Week-- Part 3: Newspapers, Cassette Tapes, Summer 1971, 80s A to Z, Band on a Deck, Beer and Wings and a Little Blue Nun

Continued from September 8, 2021.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Front Porch as usual for breakfast, coffee and read the Chicago Tribune.   Hard copy of course, there is just something I like about a newspaper in hand, but the price of paper copies is getting pretty dear so don't know how much longer I can continue to keep it coming. It is now $3 daily and $5.75 on Sunday.

I recorded Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Root Salute to Summer 1971, Part 4, on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM.  Really took me back those fifty years.  Back in 1971, I was recording on cassette tapes and I recorded this show on cassette tape as well.

Stuck with those old newspapers and cassette tapes, you know.

I also have been recording segments of the Drive's 80s A to Z which they have been running since Friday and will continue through Labor Day tomorrow.   They are also going to continue with it starting next Friday.  I figure these will be great Firebird Cruising songs since it is a 1985 and still has a cassette deck.

We went to Choppers where we met Glenn and Barb and enjoyed sitting out on the deck listening to John Piet and his pal entertain with lots of oldies.  The $2 draft beer and 45 cent wings didn't hurt either.  We were sitting out by a channel with plenty of Chain of Lakes boat traffic.

We came back home and sat out by the Flats on the east side of the house and finished off the last of our anniversary Blue Nun wine.

Still Stuck in the Old Days, I Reckon.  --RoadDog

New York City's NYFD Ladder 118, 9/11

Ladder 118 didn't return to its Brooklyn quarters that day.

Its crew were killed when the South Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed.

Ordinarily, their replacements would erase the firehouse's assignment board and sign in themselves.

Instaed there, to this day, are the chalk-scrawled names of Ladder 118:

Lt. Robert Regan

Leon Smith

Vernon Cherry

Scott Davidson

Peter Vega

Joey Agnello

WLS Top 30 for Week of September 13, 1971-- Part 2: 'I Just Want to Celebrate'

25.  *SOLO--  Billie Sans     #91     Never heard of this one before, but gets better after repeated listenings.  As You Tube says, not too much known about him.  On the Invictus label.  Looking him up, you get lots of stuff on Billie Eilish.

24.  WHATCHA SEE IS WHATCHA GET--  Dramatics    #9     Soul group from Detroit.  Their first hit.

23.  *ANABELLA--  Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds   #46   I don't remember this one.  Follow up to "Don't Pull Your Love."

22.  I JUST WANT TO CELEBRATE--  Rare Earth     #7   Rock group from Detroit with Pete Rivera on drums and vocals.

21.  *CHIRPY CHIRPY CHEEP CHEEP--  Mac & Katie Kissoon    #29   Pretty dumb title, but a really good song.  Go to YouTube and give it a listen.  Brother and sister from Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.  

Name That Tune (from the above list):  "Hey, Some People Are Made Of Plastic And You Know Some People Ae Made Out Of Wood."    Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Whatcha See Is What You Get"

WLS Top 30 for Week of September 13, 1971-- Part 1: 'So Far Away'

These are the songs that were debuts and Top 30 in Chicago fifty years ago.  * means it was climbing the charts.  The number after the artists is how high the song got on the Billboard Hot 100 National Charts.

ALL HIT BOUND

*TIRED OF BEING ALONE--  Al Green     #11   Born in 1946 in Forrest City, Alabama.  Inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

30. *SUPERSTAR--  Carpenters    #2     Brother-sister duo from New Haven, Connecticut.

29.  *SO FAR AWAY--  Carole King     #14   That's James Taylor on the acoustic guitar.

28.  *DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN--  Lee Michaels   #6    Born 1945 in Los Angeles.  His biggest hit.

27.  RIDERS ON THE STORM--  Doors    #14    Their last Top 40 song.  Jim Morrison had been dead for awhile by now.

26.  TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROADS--  John Denver    #2    Born John Deutschendorf in 1943 in Roswell, New Mexico.  This is a huge song at Munich's annual Oktoberfest with his heritage.

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "All My Memories Gather 'Round Her, Miner's Lady, Stranger To Blue Water."  How do you sing it in German?  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Take Me Home, Country Roads"

The World Trade Center By the Numbers-- Part 2: Cost, Depth and Extra Land

TIME TO BUILD:   14 years from the formal proposal to finish

NUMBER OF ARCHITECTURAL DEIGNS:  105

COST TO BUILD:  More  than $1 billion

RENTABLE FLOOR SPACE:  About one acre per floor

DEPTH OF THE TWIN TOWERS:  70 feet

EXTRA LAND CREATED BY BUILDING THE WTC:  About 23 acres added to Lower Manhattan

TWIN TOWERS ELEVATOR SPEED:   1,600 feet per minute

WINDSPEED THE TOWERS COULD SUSTAIN:   80 m.p.h.

NUMBER OF SPRINKLERS IN THE TOWERS:   3,700

HEIGHT OF THETIGHTROPE WALK BETWEEN THE TOWERS:  1,350 feet on August 7, 1974

FORCE OF THE TREMOR WHEN THE TOWERS FELL:  Akin to 2.1 and 2.3 earthquakes

The World Trade Center By the Numbers-- Part 1: Quarter Mile Up, 45 Miles on a Clear Day

From History.com.

It was Supersized in all aspects.

It took ten years to build and came down in a minute.

When the World Trade Center's twin towers opened in 1973, it was the world's tallest buildings.

They rose a quarter mile into the sky.

They had  15 miles of elevator shafts.

Nearly 44,000 windows which took 20 days to wash.

From the South Tower observation deck,  visitors could see 45 miles on a clear day.

The Trade Center complex (there was more than just the Twin Towers) was so huge that it had its own zip code.

Good Times Last Week: Cuda's Fish Fry, 80s A to Z ibn Chicago's Drive, Legion Party and Margaritaville

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

We met Kevin, Kelly, Glenn and Barb at Cuda's on Grasslake Road for their beer-battered fish fry.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Since Friday afternoon I have been recording segments of the Drive's (WDRV, 97.1 FM Chicago) 80s A to Z, which they will be doing all this weekend and all of next weekend.  The 80s are one of my favorite decades for music and I was listening to a lot of it for my deejay business.

I am recording the segments on cassette tapes and will rerecord them on cassettes with the idea of listening to them when I'm out in the 1985 Firebird.  Which, by the way, still has a cassette deck.

Met Glenn and Barb at the Fox Lake American Legion at 3 pm where they had one of our favorite performers, Joe Kadlec entertaining.

Where else you gonna go in the afternoon for music and beers.

Came home and enjoyed Margaritaville and the Ultimate Jukebox (300 CDs) in the basement while watching the Sox and Georgia games on TV.

--RoadDog

Good Times Last Week: No Q But Stucky's, Donovan's Reef, Perennials, Gas Gouge, Nothin' Runs Like a Deer and Best Dog Ever

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31

We were going to meet Kevin and Kelly, Glenn and Barb at BB*Q in Spring Grove, but they weren't open and we fear are closed for good.  Fall-back plan was Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois, and their great half-price burger and $2 domestic cans special on Tuesdays.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

FP (Front Porch) which I do every day for breakfast and coffee.  The FP chipmunk has me trained so well as his or her food requirements.  I had to help the guy from Buck Brothers push the lawn tractor across the yard and up a small hill to get it on the trailer so he could take it back to Wauconda to have them find out why it stopped running last week.  I'm getting too old for this sort of thing.

As usual, met Kevin and Kelly at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin for trivia and drinks.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Drove to McHenry, Illinois, where gas had jumped to $3.46 for Labor Day and Hurricane Ida.  Big Oil needs to make their profit, you know.  Sad to see that Meijer is now requiring face masks, but at least they had three bricks of cassette recording tapes.  Bought three hostas and two red perennials at Meijer as well for $4 apiece.  Then  bought five small mum plants for $1.25 each and two $4 gladidora perennials at Home Depot.

Found out the lawn tractor would cost $380 to fix and was happy to hear it as I was figuring that I'd have to replace my 27-year-old John Deere and that would be over $3,000.  So, I was happy about that.

Later went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsbirg and had probably the best hot dog ever for $2 and a dollar extra forb tater tots.

Eatin' and Drinkin' Cheap in the Neighborhood.  --RoadDog

WLS Top Ten for Week of September 6, 1971:

In other words, half a century ago.  Wow, time sure does fly when you're having fun.

1.  SPANISH HARLEM--  Aretha Franklin

2.  WEDDING SONG--  Paul Stookey

3.  AIN'T NO SUNSHINE--  Bill Withers

4.  GO AWAY LITTLE GIRL--  Donny Osmond   Do you think Bob Stroud played this song on his Summer of '71 Rock and Roll Roots show on Sunday?

5.  ALL DAY MUSIC--  War

6.  THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN--  Joan Baez

7.  UNCLE ALBERT / ADMIRAL HALSEY--  Paul McCartney

8.  SMILING FACES SOMETIMES--  Undisputed Truth

9.  TAKE ME GIRL, I'M READY--  Jr. Walker & the All Stars

10.  SIGNS--  Five Man Electrical Band

*********************************

DEBUTS

21.  I AIN'T GOT TIME ANYMORE--  Glass Bottle

29.  CHIRPY CHIRPY CHEEP CHEEP--  Mac & Katie Kissoon

30.  SOLO--  Billie Sans

**********************************

ALL HITBOUND

SO FAR AWAY--  Carole King

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN--  Lee Michaels

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "He Is Now To Be Among You At The Calling Of Your Hearts."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Wedding Song (There Is Love)"

Last Week: A Fish Fry, Back to the Legion, Civil War, CDs, Sliders, Stucky's, Band, Another Legion

FRIDAY, AUGUST 27

We met Kevin and Kelly at Wilmot Riverside in Wilmot, Wisconsin, for their great fish fry and $2 drafts.  Afterwards, we went to the Fox Lake American Legion for the first time in many months.  We used to be there most every Friday for 50-50 and lots of fun, but certain things in their leadership happened which we did not like and we stopped going.

We used to be there a whole lot for other things, and I am hoping to start going back again.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28

Drove to Crystal Lake, Illinois, for the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group meeting where we talked about and looked at Civil War-era newspapers.  Two members brought in the real newspapers from then.

Afterwards, I went to my favorite two stores these days: Half-Price Books and White Castle. Half-Price Books has, of course, used books, but also albums and CDs.  Three of my favorite things.  And, White Castle has those delicious Sliders.

Went to Stucky's at night.  Thanked Craig and his wife for the bottle if Blue Nun.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29

Went to McHenry, Illinois, got the $1 bacon cheeseburger special at Burger King and ate them at the band concert in Miller Park.  Went to the McHenry American Legion for the Bloody Marys and found out that buddy Mark was in the hospital.

Satisfied My Slider Attack.  --RoadDog

Last Week: Touring Galena on Our Honeymoon 48 Years Ago and the Bottle of Blue Nun

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26

48 years ago, Liz and I were in Galena, Illinois, on out honeymoon, shortened because I had to be at school on the 29th.  We went on a walk through Galena and this was before it became the tourist spot it is today.  We had dinner at the Log Cabin steakhouse, which we still go to today.

My lawn tractor congratulated us by breaking down.

We were going to go to Sunnyside, but it was too crowded, so ended up at nearby Stucky's where we enjoyed the open mic jam.  Later we went to Sunnyside.

Came home and opened the bottle of Blue Nun which Craig had given to us when he found out that you can't buy this Riesling wine anymore.  He remembered he had a bottle from 1995 in his wine stash and gave it to us.  What a guy.

This is our traditional anniversary drink/toast.  Liz's dad, Amby, gave us a small bottle as we got ready to leave the reception all those 48 years ago.

It was good.

Thanks, Craig!!  --RoadDog