Music Deaths: Songwriter "Ritchie Adams"

RICHARD ADAMS "RITCHIE ADAMS" ZIEGLER, 71

Died March 6, 2017.

Lead singer with the Fireflies on "You Were Mine" (#21-1959) and writer of such songs as Bobby Lewis' "Tossin' and Turnin'" (#1-1961) and Englebert Humperdink's "Afterthe Lovin'" (#8-1977) as well as many songs by Olivia Newton-John.

WLS Top 40 for April 14, 1967-- Part 1: "Close Your Eyes"

The lists are from Oldies Loon WLA and the information is taken from Joel Whitburn's"Top Pop Singles 1955-1993.

Fifty years ago on 89.9 AM.  (D)  Means Debut.  The number after the performer is the highest the song got on the Billboard Top 100.

40.  SWEET SOUL MUSIC--  Arthur Conley  (D)    #2  His first and biggest hit, only Top Ten..  Discovered by Otis Redding in 1965.

39.  SHAKE HANDS--  Lou Christie   (D)   #95   Real name Lugee Sacco.  The full name of the song "Shake Hands and Walk Away Crying."  This song will grow on you the more you listen to it.

38.   DRY YOUR EYES--  Brenda & the Tabulations    (D)    #20.  First hit for the group from Philadelphia.Kind of a forgotten but real good song.

37.  TRAVELIN' MAN--  Stevie Wonder   (D)   #32   Real name is Steveland Morris.  I don't remember ever hearing this one, but a good one, nonetheless.

36.  CLOSE YOUR EYES--  Peaches & Herb    (D)    #8   Soul duo from Washington, D.C..

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Do You Like Good Music."  Answer below.   --RoadDog

STUPID LAWS IN THE UNITED STATES:  In California community leaders passed an ordinance that makes it illegal for anyone to try and stop a child from playfully jumping over puddles of water.


"Sweet Soul Music"

WLS Survey for April 7, 1967: "There's a Kind of a Hush"

Fifty Years Ago Today in Chicago on WLS AM, 890.

1.  HAPPY TOGETHER--  Turtles
2.  LITTLE BIT OF ME, LITTLE BIT OF YOU--  Monkees
3.  I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW--  Tommy James & Shondells

4.  SAY SOMETHING STUPID--  Nancy and Frank Sinatra
5.  FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH--  Buffalo Springfield
6.  PENNY LANE /STRAWBERRY FIELDS--  Beatles
7.  DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE--  Mamas & Papas

8.  THERE'S A KIND OF A HUSH--  Herman's Hermits
9.  MR. UNRELIABLE--  Cryan' Shames    Chicago's own.  Thanks WLS and WCFL.
10.  THIS IS MY SONG--  Petula Clark

34.  TELL IT TO MY FACE--  Keith
35.  CAN'T SEEM TO MAKE YOU MINE--  Seeds

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "I Know I Stand In Line Until You Think You Have the Time."  --RoadDog

"Say Something Stupid"

Music Deaths: Hurshel Wiginton, "Commercial Hurshel"

HURSHEL WIGINTON, 79

Died March 6, 2017.

Arranger and composer of songs such as "Little Band of Gold" James Gilreath (#21-1963) and "Road Runner" by the Gnats (#46-1965).

He led the Nashville Edition, a group of singers who worked on 12,000 recordings, including Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You"  (#53-1982) and Elvis Presley's "The Wonder of You" (#9-1970)  They were also on most of the episodes of TV's "Hee-Haw."

He got his break singing back up on Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman."

Emission Testing, Coupons Running Out-- Part 3: "The Home Wrecker"

FRIDAY MARCH 31ST--  This day we drove to Riverside Pub at Burton's Bridge.  It is on the Fox River and a part of the Chain Crawl and today is the last time we can use the coupons from their 2016 Chain Crawl book.

Liz got a 1/2 pound Angus burger and I had their famous "Homewrecker" sandwich.  This is one of the tastiest and biggest Italian sausage sandwiches you'll ever have.  I have had 'em before, and, hey, BOGO (with Chain Crawl coupon).  Hard deal to beat.

Today must have been National Eat Out Day as we decided to go over to All In Pub & Grub on the other side of the Fox River, but there was no where to park.  Kief's Reef, also by the bridge, was the same.  We drove to Crystal Lake and got on Il-31 and drove to McHenry where we found similar situations at Bulldog's Ale House and the PLAV.

We were finally able to find a place to park at Sunnyside.

Busy Day.  --RoadDog

STUPID U.S. LAWS:  In Alabama it is illegal for a driver to be blindfolded while operating a vehicle.   O.K., that is a law I can live with.

Emission Testing and Coupons Run Out: We Hit the Road-- Part 2

March 29, Wednesday

We drove the 2011 Malibu to Crystal Lake for its emissions test.  And, it passed as well.  It is such a proud moment when your vehicles pass their emission test.  Perhaps we should have bumper stickers like those my kid is an honor student at .....

We then drove over to Hermann's Lowlife Pub and had a good time talking with the folks there.  Sure wish it was closer to home as this would be a regular hangout.  Our kind of dive.  On the way to the Riverside Pub at Burton's Bridge on the Fox River, Liz remembered seeing something about the old Sentimental Journey reopening and since it is right by the Riverside, we stopped in to check it out.

It is now called All Inn Pub & Grub and the new owners sure did a lot of work fixing it up.  Windows all around and a Las Vegas 50s vibe going on and even an old-fashioned player piano.  We enjoyed the happy hour prices and split one of the best Polish sausage sandwiches I ever had.

Going to Be a Regular Stop.  --RoadDog

BIZARRE LAWS IN AMERICA:  In Texas, there is no eyeball selling allowed.

Listening to My Lonnie Brooks CD

So sad to hear of the passing of one of my favorite Blues people last week, Lonnie Brooks.

As I type this right now, I am listening to his CD on Alligator Records called "Deluxe Edition."

Now, these are some great Blues songs.

1.  Jealous Man
2.  Something You Got
3.  Temporary Insanity

4.  End of the Rope
5.  Don't take Advantage of Me
6.  You Know What My Body Needs

7.  In the Dark
8.  Hoodoo She Do
9.  Figurehead

10.  One More Shot
11.  Cold Lonely Nights
12.  Zydeco

13.  Family Rules
14.  Roll of the Tumbling Dice
15.  Like Father, Like Son

What better Way to Say Goodbye.  --RoadDog

Are We Witnessing the End of Stores As We Know Them?

From the March 12, 2017, Chicago Tribune "12 chains, 1,366 closings" by Lauren Zumbach.

Within the last week Sears has announced that they don't think they can hang on and yesterday Payless Shoe Source said they were declaring bankruptcy.  K-Mart is down and out as well.  I look at it as just another thing that is being taken away from me.

All that happens today is more and more of what I like is being taken away from me.

Here is a list of stores being closed by different companies and the percentage of their total that are clising:

Abercrombie & Fitch:  60 / 8%

BCBG:  120 / 29%

Family Christian Stores:  237 / 100%

H.H. Gregg:  88 / 44%

J.C. Penney: 130-140 / 13%

The Limited:  250 / 100%

Macy's:  68 / 13%

Marbles: The Brain Store:  37 / 100%

MC Sports:  66 / 100%

RadioShack:  187 / 12 %

Sears:  150 / 10%

Staples:  70 / 5%

There are some on this list that I've never heard of before.

Frightening Figures.  --RoadDog

BIZARRE LAWS IN AMERICA:  In Kentucky race horses on the highway are illegal.

Congrats to the UNC Tarheels!!

Sure had a great time watching this whole NCAA Tournament.  As usual, they did a good job matching teams up.  Lots of good games.

And, the Championship game last night sure lived up to its hype.  We had two really good teams.  I am a UNC-Chapel Hill fan first, but was also pulling for Gonzaga.  And, it was much closer than the final score would make it look.  With just under a minute left, Carolina led by just one point and then the Zags went cold.

Makes up for last year's Championship loss to Villanova for Carolina.

I paid particular attention to the Carolina introductions.  Lots of juniors and seniors.  That is the way to build a team, not like Kentucky which usually has just freshman playing for one year before jumping to the NBA.

Great Game.  Great Tournament.  Great Time.  --RoadDog

A Real Good Cassette Collection: 20 Great Oldies-- Part 2

Side two:

A FOOL IN LIVE--  Ike & Tina Turner  (#27)  1960
MOMENTS--  Jennel Hawkins   (#50) 1962    Her only hit.
MY ADORABLE ONE--  Joe Simon  (No ranking)

OPERATOR--  Gladys Knight & the Pips   (#87)   1962
DANNY BOY--  Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles
GOOD FEELING--  Jimi Hendrix   (No Ranking)  Really, really early Hendrix.
WELL I TOLD YOU--  Chantels   (#29)   1961

I WANNA BE YOUR EVERYTHING--  Manhattans   (#68)  1965    Their first hit.
ONLY THOSE IN LOVE--  Baby Washington   (#73)  1965
BIG BOSS MAN--  Jimmy Reed   (#78)   1961   Some more Blues.

Some Great Music.  --RoadDog

BIZARRE LAWS IN AMERICA:  In Ohio it is illegal to get a fish drunk.

Coming to the End of Another Great NCAA Tournament

We sure had two really fine games in the Final Four this past Saturday.  Even though two of my teams, North Carolina and Gonzaga were in it, I was actually pulling for South Carolina and Oregon, both of whom lost.

Tonight I will be pulling for Carolina, but will be fine if the Zags win.

I see the line is Carolina by one.

I keep a running chart of what I consider to be good games, which is a close game.    Right now, that number stands at 24.

Greatest Sports Thing.  --RoadDog

The Drive's Vinyl Four Weekend Ends Today

Since the National Championship is today, the Vinyl Four ends as well.  Again, you can hear it at www.wdrv.com.  All times are Central.

They play four tracks from each album, and on vinyl.  You can get the list of all four songs they will play on each album at the site.

11  am   GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD--  Elton John

1  pm   1984--  Van Halen

3   pm   RUMOURS--  Fleetwood Mac

The Chain
Dreams
Second Hand News
Gold Dust Woman

4  pm   NIGHT MOVES--  Bob Seger

5   pm  4--   Led Zeppelin

6   pm   LET IT BLEED--  Rolling Stones

B-Ball and Music.  Like It.  --RoadDog

A Real Good Cassette Collection: 20 Great Oldies-- Part 1

I have been listening to some of my prerecorded cassette tapes (and I have a REAL lot of them) and came across a really good one titles "20 Great Oldies - Vol. 4."  Made in Holland.  I knew some of the songs, but there were a lot I was unfamiliar with.

I will do the track listing.  The number behind the artist is how high it got on the Billboard Charts and I will also have the year.

Side One

1.  (DO THE) MASHED POTATOES--  Nat Kendricks & the Swans  (#84) 1960
2.  BILLY'S BAG--  Billy Preston (No rank) 1965  His first song recorded.
3.  DOWN THE AISLE (WEDDING SONG)--  Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles  (#37) 1963.  Her first hit.

4.  BOOM BOOM--  John Lee Hooker (#60)  1962.  His only hit on the Pop Charts.  Great Blues.
5.  FOLLOW YOUR HEART--  Manhattans  (#92)  1966
6.  THAT'S HOW HEARTACHES ARE MADE--  Baby Washington
7.  RAINBOW--  Gene Chandler  (#12) 1963

8.  MISTY--  Lloyd Price  *(#21) 1963
9.  SHAME SHAME SHAME--  Wilson Pickett  (No Rank)
10.  IT'S TOO LATE--  Wilson Pickett  (#49) 1963

Name That Tune (from the above):  "Gonna Shoot You Right Down."  --RoadDog



"Boom Boom"

Past Movie Scratches: Standing-- Pineapple-- Insiduous-- Four-- Panda-- Conjuring

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw on TV in 2016.

13.  STANDING TALL--  1-12--  Don't mess with the "Rock."

14.  PINEAPPLE EXPRESS--  1-12--  Careful where you throw that "Dube."

15.  INSIDUOUS--  1-22--  Which Dad you gonna get?

16.  I AM NUMBER FOUR--  1-23--  Aliens hunt down a hiding alien on Earth.  Pretty DUMB movie.

17.  KUNG FU PANDA 2--  1-23--  The Big Guy finds inner peace just in time to beat a mean old Sheng.

18.  CONJURING--  1-24--  It's a real lot of evil for one house to have.

Waiting for the Commercial Break.  --RoadDog

BIZARRE LAWS IN AMERICA:  In New Jersey there is a law that states that men cannot knit during fishing season.

The Drive's Vinyl Four Weekend-- Part 3: "Sgt. Pepper's"

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Well, those sure were two excellent Final Four games last night.  I'll write more about them tomorrow.

But, the Drive's, WDRV 97.1 FM salute to vinyl and classic albums as well as the Final Four continues today and tomorrow.

Today's Albums (Remember, they play four cuts from each album, all, of course on vinyl.):

10 AM   SGT. PEPPER'S--  Beatles

11 AM   STRANGE DAYS--  Doors

Strange Days
Love Me Two Times
Midnight Drive
People Are Strange

1   PM   QUADROPHENIA--  Who

3   PM  PRONOUNCE LEN-NERD SKIN-NERD--  Lynyrd Skynyrd

5   PM   DISRAELI GEARS--  Cream


Snap, Crackle and Pop.  --RoadDog

BIZARRE LAWS IN AMERICA:  In South Dakota you can not fall asleep in a cheese factory.

Emission Testing and Coupons Run Out: We Hit the Road-- Part 1

Because of two emission tests we had to take on our vehicles, we have four of them, we've been on the road some this past week.  that, and the fact that our Chain Crawl coupons ran out of date yesterday, March 31.

Last Saturday, March 25, I took the Dakota truck to Crystal Lake for emission test and went to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group meeting at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake.  On the way home, I stopped at a Barnes & Noble.  I sure miss my Border's store in McHenry.

Sunday, March 26, we went to Fox Hole in McHenry for pizza, but weren't happy to find out that the coupon had a March 31, 2016, expiration date. Just one year off.   But, their beer nuggets made up for the lack of pizza.  Also stopped at the PLAV (Polish Legion of American Veterans) and Sunnyside.

Tuesday, March 28, we went to Vickie's in McHenry on the Fox River and used a Chain Crawl coupon, BOGO sandwich.  I had the Big Kahuna: 1/2 pound burger, pulled pork and onion straws.  It was huge and good.  Great view of the river and tasty popcorn.

--RoadDog

The Drive's Vinyl Four Weekend, Saturday, April 1

Again, the Drive plays four cuts from each classic album.  Streams at www.wdrv.com.  And, they will be playing them on vinyl.  Tune in today for:

10 AM    BOOK OF DREAMS--  Steve Miller Band

Jet Airplane
The Stake,
Jungle Love
Swingtown

NOON  EXIT ON MAIN STREET--  Rolling Stones

2.  VAN HALEN--  Van Halen

3  PM  BORN TO RUN--  Bruce Springsteen

4 PM  ARE YOU EXPERIENCED--  Jimi Hendrix

6 PM  THE LONG RUN--  Eagles

No Foolin'--  RoadDog

WLS Top 40 for March 31, 1967-- Part 2: "Love Eyes"

I also went farther down the list and found some other interesting songs:  The number after the performer is its highest Billboard ranking.

30.  YOU'RE GONNA BE MINE--  New Colony Six  (No rank)  WLS backing the local bands again.

31.  OH THAT'S GOOD--  Sam the Sham  (#54)  Full name ""Oh That's Good, No That's Bad."

33.  LOVE EYES--  Nancy Sinatra  (#15)

37.  SUNDAY FOR TEA--  Peter and Gordon  (#31)  Near the end of their hit-making career.

40.  MIDNIGHT HOUR--  Messengers   (No Rank)  Also known as the Milwaukee Messengers or Michael & the Messengers (As I knew them.)  Evidently out of Milwaukee, but played in Chicago.  They also did a great job on "Romeo and Juliet."  As good of Garage Rock as it gets.

--RoadDog

BIZARRE LAWS IN AMERICA:  In Maine you will get fined if you leave your Christmas decorations up past Jan. 14.  (I'm in trouble, but wait, I don't live in Maine.)