(Above: Balin with the rest of the Airplane on the cover of Surrealistic Pillow.) Marty Balin, one of the founding members of the Jefferson Airplane, passed away yesterday at the age of 76. No cause of death has been given. Balin, along with Paul Kantner, Jack Casady, and - of course - Grace Slick, formed … Continue reading Rest in peace, Marty Balin: Jefferson Starship, “Miracles” (1975)
Month: September 2018
Greatest misses: Barbara Acklin, “Am I The Same Girl?” (1969)
(Above: Hidden in this album is a great song.) Sometimes, what may be the best version of a song is the one that finishes in third place. 1n 1968 session musicians at Brunswick Records went into the studio and laid down a jam. That track was released by Brunswick and first hit the Billboard Hot … Continue reading Greatest misses: Barbara Acklin, “Am I The Same Girl?” (1969)
Multiple-hit wonders: How a music network got a countdown wrong
(Above: Hits, as in "more than one.") Today is some sort of holiday called National One-Hit Wonder Day. I don't remember celebrating this as a kid, so I suspect that it came out of social media as an opportunity for people to share forgotten songs that are fun to dig out every once in a … Continue reading Multiple-hit wonders: How a music network got a countdown wrong
Songs of senior year: The Billboard Hot 100, September 21, 1985
(Above: The new sign in front of Andrew High. I never sped past this playing the "Miami Vice" theme.) September 21, 1985 is a Saturday - which is the day that all of the Billboard charts come out. It was a hectic time at the start of my senior year of high school. The night … Continue reading Songs of senior year: The Billboard Hot 100, September 21, 1985
30 years ago this week: The Billboard Hot 100, September 10, 1988
(Above: What a wacky college morning show looks like, apparently.) Thirty years ago this week I was starting my second year at Lewis University on the air at WLRA. I almost didn't come back; at the end of my first year I was left off of the management team and threatened to take my ball … Continue reading 30 years ago this week: The Billboard Hot 100, September 10, 1988
Great lost hit: Dean Friedman, “Ariel” (1977)
(Above: Was hoping for a photo of Ariel, but OK.) Way on the far south side of Chicago, there was a song that WLS played a lot.... The summer of 1977 is one that I always look back upon fondly. There was nothing more complicated in life at time than getting up, riding our bikes … Continue reading Great lost hit: Dean Friedman, “Ariel” (1977)
Rest in peace, Art Hellyer: Ray Charles, “America the Beautiful” (1972)
(Above: Art having fun at WCFL, circa 1951.) Sad news from the world of Chicagoland radio: Art Hellyer, longtime radio and television host, passed away last night. He was 95. Art held the distinction of being my oldest Facebook friend. Before becoming ill earlier this year, he was in the habit of sharing Facebook live … Continue reading Rest in peace, Art Hellyer: Ray Charles, “America the Beautiful” (1972)
45 Ruminations Per Megabyte 