WMGK’s Big Gig a Big Hit Featured
Classic rock fans gathered at the BB&T Pavilion, the outdoor venue in Camden, NJ on August 4, 2018 to see three legendary players that made up an interesting bill: Ann Wilson, Paul Rodgers and Jeff Beck. Any one of them could have been the headliner but for WMGK’s Big Gig on Saturday night, that honor went to Jeff Beck. Things started off at 6:30 pm with a bluesy set by singer Deborah Bonham, who will never escape being best known as the sister of Led Zeppelin’s drummer John Bonham. Ann Wilson took the stage at 7:00, opening with The Who’s The Real Me, and closing with The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled Again. With a short set list of only 8 songs, it was surprising she chose two Who songs but with each one, she made it her own. Noticeably missing: any Led Zeppelin song that she’s known to do with…
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Jeff Beck, who was on everyone’s list of the best guitarists, has died at age 78. The announcement was confirmed by his representative. The career path to the pinnacle of the guitar mountain began for Jeff while he was attending art school in London. It was the eccentric Screaming Lord Such (see story) who first saw the merit in his guitar playing. After Eric Clapton left The Yardbirds, Jimmy Page recommended that Beck be recruited to take his place. Jeff Beck’s time with The Yardbirds didn’t last long. It was the first of many battles that Jeff would have with his band mates.
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Think of an elf with a thunderous voice. That was Tom Moran. My first encounter with this legendary Hall of Fame radio talent took place because of a mix up. Tom was on the air at WIP in Philadelphia. The station was considered by many to be the very best adult radio station in the whole country and Tom was doing afternoons.
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Her name at birth was Christine Anne Perfect. The world would come to know her as Christine McVie, a member of one of the most popular bands in the history of music. With a father who taught violin and a grandfather who was the organist at Westminster Abby, it almost seemed the Christine was born to make music. Her long journey to fame began in earnest when she was 11 years old and started studying music. Like so many of her peer musicians, Christine went to college to study art and not music. But it was in her blood. Soon she was performing with a local band called Sounds of Blue. That group didn’t last long, but she along with two other members of the Sound of Blue formed a new band called Chicken Shack.
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The man known for his energic, wild stage show, Jerry Lee Lewis, has succumbed to his failing health at age 87. He left behind a legend of other Rock stars who followed in his footsteps. The influence Lewis had was far reaching. Talk to any classic Rock Performer and they will almost always include the name of Jerry Lee Lewis among those who influenced them the most.
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The moment that I heard that Jim Seals of the famous duo of Seals & Crofts died at age 80, a flashback immediately transported me back to 1972 and an August night at WIBG the legendary radio station in Philadelphia. Jim Seals was very much a part of one of best and worst memories of my radio career. It started out as an idea to raise money for a cause that has since long been forgotten. My idea was to have a T. Morgan birthday party while on the air. Special guests were lined up to perform and talk live with me on the air. Listeners were asked to come by the radio station and give me a “birthday gift”. The gift was something that we could donate to food banks or money. In exchange we gave them an album that was provided by various record companies.
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For over 55 years Gary Brooker was not only the lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, he was also their primary songwriter and leader. During most of those years his voice and piano were the sound of the band. The first band that Brooker was in was called The Paramounts. They were the perfect steppingstone to Procol Harum. The group could best be described as a Jazzy Rock band that was heavily influenced by Classical music. When the band broke up in 1966, Gary and Robin Trower became founding members of Procol Harum.
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Even though Ian McDonald was in two groundbreaking groups, his name is not well known to many who loved the music he played. Both King Crimson and Foreigner were leaders in establishing a new style of Rock Music. Ian, who was a native of London, learned how to read and play in music in a slightly different way than most. It was during his five years in the British Army that he learned how to play the clarinet, saxophone, and flute. He used them all during his long career and later added keyboards and guitar to the mix.
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees for 2022 were announced today by President and CEO Greg Harris. Among those nominated for the first time was the British New Wave band Duran Duran. “What a surprise and an honor! To be nominated by such a highly esteemed organization is truly special in this, our fortieth, year,” John Taylor, the bass guitarist said. “For decades now Duran Duran have been inspired by the incredible support of our beautiful and diverse fanbase around the world. To be considered by the Hall of Famers is truly next level. Let’s hope we make the cut!”
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While he was born Marvin Lee Aday, we knew and loved him as Meat Loaf. The son of a former policeman (Orvis) and school teacher (Wilma) he was in over 50 movies and TV shows and performed in Broadway type musicals. However, Meat Loaf will always be best known for the iconic album BAT OUT OF HELL. When that album first came out and started selling at a brisk pace, most people thought that he was an overnight sensation. That was hardly the case.
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We have lost one the most unique voices of all time to Cancer. Ronnie Spector was one of the most respected and loved singers of all of Rock and Roll history. No one else ever sounded like her. The signature song for Ronnie, “Be My Baby” is just about the most perfect song you will ever hear. The song was recorded in 1963 as the second song recorded by the group known as the Ronettes. However, the only voice on the record is that of Ronnie Spector. The Phil Spector produced record was enhanced by the group of outstanding studio musicians that later became known as The Wrecking Crew.
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Join Ten Years After for their FREE ticketed livestream event from London featuring a pre-recorded performance + live Q&A with the band on Saturday October 23, 2021 at 4pm EST. This special event will be hosted by T. Morgan and is brought to you by GetOnVolume and Deko Entertainment.
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One of the true building blocks of British Blues, John Mayall, has posted an important announcement on his website http://www.johnmayall.com. In part, what he says is that due to the risks of the pandemic and his advancing age, there will be no more John Mayall tours. While he will still do some live shows near his home in California, he will no longer be touring the world. With this statement, Mayall has ended decades of touring as one of the true ambassadors of the Blues. It is amazing that he has been at it for so long. John will be 88 on November 29th.
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When The Rolling Stones announced that Charlie Watts wasn’t going to be able to make the “Unfiltered Tour”, because of an undisclosed operation, a voice said to me that we will never see him again behind the kit. Since Charlie himself said in a statement that he wasn’t heathy enough right now but planned to be back in the future of the tour, there was a glimmer of hope. That hope was dashed when the news came of his death on August 24, 2021. For many of us it was like a part of our life growing up with music also died. Charlie was so quiet. He never liked being in the spotlight. Interviews were few and far between. He was married to the same woman for 57 years. In many ways, he wasn’t your typical Rock star.
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There are only a handful of true pioneers that had a huge influence on the birth and growth of Rock and Roll. Bill Haley Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and Gene Vincent all made their unique contributions. They are all gone, but their influence will live on forever. Now we have lost another major influencer. Don Everly died on Saturday August 21 at age 84. Together with his late brother Phil, they drew up the blueprint for harmonizing that was used by every Rocker from The Beatles to Crosby Stills & Nash to The Byrds to The Eagles to, well just about everyone who sings harmony.
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One of the very first voices I heard when I came to Philadelphia for college was that of Bill Wright, Sr. He was nothing like I had ever heard before on Rock ‘n’ Roll radio. Instead of the usual rapid-fire approach, Bill was a lot more laid back and even “folksy”. The Rebel Wright is what he proudly proclaimed. He never forgot his Alabama roots. His career started there, but he became a radio legend only after getting his big break at WIBG. It was at WIBG that he broke radio ratings history.
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Dusty Hill, the man who provided the thunderous bottom for Z Z Top, died peacefully in his sleep at age 72. The cause is unknown, but just last week Dusty was on tour with “the little ol’ band from Texas” so it was totally unexpected. Apparently, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer had not been feeling well and was taking some time off at the time of his death. It was thought that he would return after some rest. The official Z Z Top website called it a “short detour” on July 23.
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The name Ethel Gabriel probably means very little to the average Rock fan. She was a true pioneer in the record business and should be remembered. Ethel was born and raised in the Philadelphia area. As a young, accomplished musician she started her own band at age 13. Her instrument was the Trombone and the music her band played was that of the great big band bands of her youth like Glenn Miller. That led to playing in the Philadelphia Women’s Symphony Orchestra at a very early age.
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Trying to create anything that has never been done before usually ends up in failure. No one remembers the names of the people who tried to invent the first radio or record player and failed. Even if they were successful and didn’t get the credit because someone simply beat them to the patent office, they didn’t get any reward for their work. Creating something from a mere idea takes painstaking hard work. You have to be prepared to fail over and over. Read the life story of some famous inventors and you will get a better understanding. They are driven by an inner passion that most people just don’t understand. Most of the time their drive doesn’t come from a desire to make money. It is just as well, since most often the pioneers in any field rarely get rich from their ideas.
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When Spencer Davis appeared at the Main Point years ago it was long past the time of the famed Spencer Davis Group days. One might have thought that he wanted to leave all of that behind him, but when I spoke with him in the basement of the legendary club, he didn’t mind dragging up the past. In fact, he seemed rather proud of the fact that Steve Winwood was doing so well. At the time I didn’t think to ask him if the stories of him being Steve’s German teacher in high school were true. It was a rumor that prevailed for some time. While Spencer was very fluent in German and did teach it while performing in clubs at night, in looking at his bios there’s nothing about him ever teaching the subject to Steve or his brother Muff.
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From the very first time you heard Eddie Van Halen play his explosive guitar on “Eruption” was a lead in to the group’s cover version of The Kinks tune “You Really got Me” you knew that you were listening to one of the all- time great guitarists. It almost jumped out of the speakers at you. The 1:45 guitar effort was one of the most intense solos ever recorded. On October 6, 2020 it was Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolf who broke the news to the world that his father had lost his two year long battle with Cancer. In his statement Wolf said “He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift. My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.”
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All of us have been impacted by this horrible Covid-19, but none more so than those in the music business. Venues have been shut down with no idea of when they may be able to open again. This has affected so many lives whose income depends on live music. Not only venues, but the performers as well are on the verge on going bankrupt. If music means something to you, there’s a couple of ways that you can help. First there are concerts you can enjoy online. It may not be the same as actually being there, but you can enjoy some great music in the comfort of your own home.
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To many, especially younger fans, Fleetwood Mac started when they moved to the US with a new line-up. If that is your starting point, you missed out on one of the most exciting Blues Rock bands ever assembled. They certainly were the best that the early British blues scene had to offer. The founder of the band, Peter Green, died on Saturday July 25, 2020. If you never had a chance to see Peter play guitar, you missed out on an experience of a lifetime. He did things to a guitar that were unequaled by many. Among those who greatly admired him were B B King who said of Green “he has the sweetest tone I ever heard. He was the only one who gave me the cold sweats”. Frank Zappa said in the 60’s that the original Fleetwood Mac with Peter green in the lead was the only music…
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One of the nicest and most talented people in the music business, Charlie Daniels, has died. When we first talked in 1972 he told me that he did over 300 concerts a year! All of these shows were done by traveling in the CDB tour bus from town to town. The Charlie Daniels Band has been around since Charlie graduated from high school in North Carolina in 1955. It was a hard life bouncing around from town to town and Charlie had to do studio work to make ends meet. To that end Charlie moved to Nashville and worked on several albums. Soon he was in very much in demand because he was not only very skilled on the guitar, but also the Mandolin and was (and still is) considered to be one of the best fiddlers of all time.
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A huge chapter in the history of the world of Rock ‘n’ Roll closed on Saturday night May 9. 2020. Little Richard was such a groundbreaker in so many ways. In so many other ways he was also a mystery. Even the date of his birth is not known for sure. What is known is that he went from being a dishwasher in his hometown of Macon, Georgia to one of the most influential stars in all of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Upon Hearing about the death of Little Richard Bob Dylan was quoted as saying “He was my shining star and guiding light back when I was a little boy. His was the original spirit that moved me to do everything I do”.
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You are indeed a fortunate person if you have someone like Gene Shay as a friend or co-worker. He was the kind of individual who can change your life. Often, he did it by simply being himself. We all lost a real genuinely special person when Gene lost his battle with COVID 19. When I first came to Philadelphia Gene was working at WHAT-FM. Before I had the chance to hear him, he was doing a Jazz show. His life and the of many performers changed when he started a new folk show on Sunday nights in 1962.
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Shorty after his return from a tour of Europe, it was announced that John Prine has contracted the Corvid 19 virus and was taken to the hospital. Our hopes that he would pull through were dashed on April 7, 2020 when it was announced that he did not survive. The world has lost not only a great songwriter, but a man who never forgot who he was while he wrote his songs. The days of delivering mail and driving a truck gave him a unique insight into life. His flat voice fit nicely with his songs that ranged from the sad to the funny.
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Critics and fans alike were divided in their feelings for the Canadian band called Rush. But one thing that everyone agreed on was that their drummer was nothing short of sensational. From the early age of 12 when he had his first drum lesson, it was apparent that Neil was gifted. He was also driven to be as good as his idol, Keith Moon. As a teen living in suburban Toronto, he was punished for pounding out rhythms on his desk in school. The teacher gave him what was thought to be a punishment. He was forced to stay in detention for an hour after school. Not a problem. He used the time to pound out the beats that Keith Moon used in the Rock Opera TOMMY. It wasn't long before Peart was considered to be as wild in his drumming approach as Moon, but even more precise. He certainly…
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For almost forty years Debbi Calton has kept Philadelphia radio listeners informed and entertained with her very personal style. On December 6, 2019, her last day at WMGK, she had the difficult task of saying goodbye. Saying goodbye to her was not easy. I have known Debbi since she came to Philadelphia from WMET in Chicago in August of 1983 to join us at WYSP. I still remember when I was on the air and Debbi came into the studio for the first time. We hit it off right away. Of course, that isn’t hard to do with Debbi. We did have more things in common than most in radio. The biggest thing (besides our love of music) was our history. I came from a Navy family. Debbi came from an Air Force family. You move around a lot. She lived in several places including Turkey. You don’t have lifelong…
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On November 26. 2019 all of us at WMGK got up very early for John DeBella’s annual turkey drop. John was at the Kimmel Center in center city, while the rest of us were station at 12 different Acme locations through the Delaware Valley. I was stationed at the Clifton Heights, PA store. Our mission was the same as all the other years. Collect as many turkeys and/ or cash as we can from listeners while standing out in front of the store doing are best to stay warm. The listeners warmed us up by opening their hearts and pocketbooks. Once again, this year the giving and generous spirit was out in full force. The final tally will not be known until the Monday after Thanksgiving because we are still encouraging people who couldn’t come up to donate online.
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On November 22, 2019, the 54th annual induction of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia took place at the Hilton Hotel on City Avenue in Philadelphia. It was a night of laughter and holding back the tears. I had the pleasure to be Co-MC for the predinner interviews and, as such, talked to several of the honorees prior to the induction. Of course, they were all excited for the night’s activities. It is very much like going to the Oscar or Emmy Awards. Those who I interviewed told me that they had friends and relatives attending that came from all over the country to witness their induction.
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On Monday evening November 18, 2019 a gentle giant signed off. My friend, Gene Arnold, may not be known by many of you who are reading this, but please read on. One of the very first on air people I met when I started at WIFI was Gene Arnold. He was already into Album Rock, so he was most encouraging. Gene went on to do much for the new music Rock community. Below I have a couple of links that can give you a better understanding of just how much he did in his career. He did it all. He was a performer, writer, producer and had one the very best voices in radio.
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I still remember the day that the first Leonard Cohen album came across my desk in 1967. There was already talk about him being Canada’s answer to Bob Dylan. That certainly didn’t help. Being compared to Dylan was almost a daily ritual in the press. Most didn’t come close to living up to the hype. The first cut on the album “Suzanne” soon put those thoughts in the background for me. While Cohen and Dylan both were hardly great singers and both were the best poets for a new generation, they was a stark difference between the two. A comparison was not only unnecessary, but kinda like apples and oranges. For me one thing that they did have in common was their voices certainly fit their music. No one could present their music better or with more feeling in their voices than the authors themselves.
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The “Grumpy Old Rock Star Tour” found its way to the Scottish Rite Cathedral on October 11, 2019. Rick was anything but grumpy. And the sold-out crowd loved every second of it. When I spoke to him (see Podcasts) he told me that his show was a combination of piano playing and silly stories. He was more than well equipped to do both. Many people do not know just how funny this man, who is very serious about his music, can be. Those who were in the audience last night who didn’t know prior to the show quickly found out. From the time Rick walked on stage (almost on time) he had the audience totally captivated with his unusual show.
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Back in the late 60’s when I was on the air at WDAS FM there were two rumors that kept popping up. The biggest one was that Paul McCartney was dead. The other was that Ginger Baker was dead. Fortunately, Paul is still alive after all these years, but unfortunately Ginger Baker died on October 6, 2019. After my first encounter with the dynamic redhead, I was convinced that Ginger Baker was too feisty to ever die! His battles with fellow member of Cream, Jack Bruce, were legendary. Now 2/3 of Cream are gone. In my book “Confessions of a Teenage Disc Jockey” I gave a full account of the night that I was able to convince both Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker to come to the WDAS FM studios for an interview. Eric was more than willing, but Ginger had to take a little more convincing. Perhaps the fact…
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It was the perfect night for a cookout and ZZ TOP and Cheap Trick did the cooking. Either band could have been the headliner, but apparently Cheap Trick lost the coin toss and went on first. Why not? The last time ZZ Top was at the BB&T Center just over a year ago as part of WMGK’s Heavy Hitters Concert, they opened for John Fogerty. Before either act took the stage there was an unannounced act. A young blues singer named Marquise Knox and his band played their brand of Blues/Rock. It was an interesting mixture of the old and the new. Later Marquise was invited to play with Cheap Trick. It is always good that established acts are so willing to help new ones. That is how the music gets carried on. I had a chance to talk with Marquise after his performance. He informed me that they have…
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Just as I was getting ready to write a review of last night’s Z Z Top and Cheap Trick concert, word came of the death of Ric Ocasek. This on the heals of Eddie Money’s death was a real double whammy. They say that these deaths come in threes. Let’s certainly hope not. We have lost enough talent already. It was a day not to forget. When the first Cars album came out there was the usual hype from their record company. The promo guy from Electra Records was certain that they had a huge hit on their hands. OK, that has been said of many groups before that never made an impact. After putting the debut Cars album on the turntable, you could tell from the very first few notes that this group was different. In an age of Progressive Rock getting more and more complex, the first cut…
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On a Friday the thirteenth that also featured the rare occurrence of a full moon on that date, it was announced that Eddie Money died of esophageal Cancer. Eddie probably would have seen some humor in that. The first time I met Eddie many years ago when he was first starting out, it was very evident that he found humor in most things. He was so upbeat. He laughed about how he also most became a New York City cop. His grandfather and brother were policemen in New York City. So, it really wasn’t a big surprise that under his real name of Eddie Mahoney, he went to the police academy. He told me that while he passed the course, he never actually was on the force. NYPD’s loss was our gain.
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As the name would indicate, August 24, 2019 was a night of some heavy hitting. Two of the biggest names in Rock music were part of the WMGK Heavy Hitters Concert. The Phillies should have as many hits. With the long list of hits from both acts, you could flip a coin to pick the headliner. The Doobies did go on first and they were both right on time and right on the mark. Like so many classic rock bands, the lineup has changed over the years, but the heart and soul of the band remains. Patrick Simmons, and Tom Johnston have been working together on and off since the early 70’s. John McFee has also become a solid fixture.
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Just before dawn on June 6, 2019 one of music’s most talented and colorful musicians, Malcom John Rebennack, died of a heart attack. His friends from the Crescent City knew him as Mac. The rest of the world knew him as Dr. John. Before it was fashionable to create an alter ego, Dr John became the night tripper. He wore the garb of the Creoles of New Orleans and spread his magic dust known as Gris-Gris. The character was loosely based on a real person named Dr John who was sort of Voodoo medicine man and healer. Dr. John was one of the best interviews that I ever did. He was funny and developed his own hip way of talking. In addition, he had a wealth of stories to tell and didn’t mind relating any and all of them. I could have listened to him for hours. It seemed like…
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Unlike last year’s Philadelphia Bar Association’s race that was held in a downpour, the sun was bright and the skies were clear. It appeared to have drawn a record group who seemed to be full of spirit for a very good cause. The race which benefits the Support Center for Child Advocates is held every year on the third Sunday in May. For the past several years T. Morgan has served as the Grand Marshall for the event. He was at the finish line helping with the prizes and posing for pictures. Below see the pictures of those who won prizes. Hopefully we got all the names right. Please let us know if there was a mistake and we will be happy to correct it. You can see pictures for the previous few years by going to the News & Events section. We hope this will encourage some of you…
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Hear T. Morgan talk about this event on a podcast by clicking here! At their monthly luncheon held on May 15, 2019 The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia at the Bala Golf Club, there was a tribute to one of Philadelphia’s most popular and successful stations since 1975. The highlight was a panel of present and past on air talent. Sadly, the event was scheduled to be televised, but owning to technical issues, it was not. Audio of the entire panel will be available in a couple weeks on the BP website. Those on the T. Morgan mailing list will receive a notice when it becomes available. The MC for the event was T. Morgan who is celebrating 28 years at WMGK this month. The panel consisted of current afternoon DJ Andre Gardner, Mike Bowe who did afternoons for many on the station, Harvey of Harvey in the morning, Sue Serio…
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Twenty one years ago a tradition of having a Rock ‘n’ Roll Lunch was started. The 2019 version took place on Wednesday March 20th at the Bala Golf Club. A large roster of acts had those attending the luncheon dancing and clapping their hands. Among the many that performed were: Danny & the Juniors, Rich Ritchie of The Rip chords, Kenny Jeremiah of The Soul Survivors. Rich Jordon of The Jordon Brothers, Eddie Collins music director for The Drifters, Billy Carlucci lead singer for Billy and The Essentials and the headliners Jimmy Clanton The grand finale was to have the entire cast of performers on the stage at the same time all singing together. The old time rockers showed they still had their stuff. “Rock and Roll is here to Stay” by Danny & The Juniors had everyone singing along. The sold out crowd further showed their appreciation with several…
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While John DeBella broadcasted live from 6-9am at the Kimmel Center, the WMGK DJs and staff were located at various Acmes through the Delaware Valley. The chilly air didn’t keep thousands of people from brining their turkey donations to the drop off points. T. Morgan was on duty at the Acme in Havertown, PA. Many kind and generous listeners came by to say hello and give us their donations. While each and every one of those donations is greatly appreciated no matter how small, when some people make a huge contribution they deserve special praise. For a couple of years now we have looked forward to a visit from Nan Lansinger of Pennsylvania Trust located in Radnor. There was some concern that since we no longer had a drop off point in Radnor that we would see them this year.
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On November 16, 2018 twenty-one new members were inducted into the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia’s Hall of Fame before a sold out crowd at the Hilton Ballroom on City Avenue in Philadelphia. Vernon Odom was also honored as the “Person of the Year”. For full details click here. I was delighted to have some friends join me in receiving this prestigious honor (see story here). Leigh Richards and I work together at WMGK. She was also kind enough to write a comment on the back of my book “Confessions of a Teenage Disc Jockey” Leigh also does work for KYW and prior to that was at WXTU for twenty-five years. She also served as a WFIL “Boss Jock”. Steve Ross and I worked together at WIBG. Steve and Leigh not only graduated together from Northeast High in Philadelphia, but went in the same limo to the prom together as…
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On Wednesday October 17, 2018 The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia held a luncheon at the Bala Golf Club. A panel of current and former WMMR broadcasters related their experiences with the radio station that is celebrating 50 years of continuous rockin’. The panel included: Michael Tearson long time night jock at the station who was there almost at the beginning and was instrumental in established many rock stars.T. Morgan was both on the air in drive time and served as program director during the 70’s. Currently heard on WMGKJohn DeBella who took the station to even greater heights by establishing the extremely popular Morning Zoo in the 80’s. John is now WMGK’s morning man.Ray Koob was part of the staff during the 80’s and spent several years as WMGK’s nigh jock. Erin Riley an award winning music director. She was selected by Billboard Magazine as the best music director…
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On September 27, 2018 the wife of Marty Balin announced that her husband had died. No cause was listed on her message that was posted on the Marty Balin website. In many ways the founder of The Jefferson Airplane was not the typical rock star. While he was born in Cincinnati, he spent most of his life in San Francisco after his father moved the family there to take a job. Very early on he showed exceptional talents for painting (good enough to earn him a scholarship), dancing and acting. He did both Shakespeare and musicals. In what would seem to a real paradox, Marty also joined a gang of toughs in his neighborhood. Since that was so out of character, perhaps he joined simply because he didn’t want to labeled as a sissy artist.
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The Doors were not the only LA based band to have a big hit in 1967. There was a group called The Strawberry Alarm Clock that scored a number one hit called “Incense and Peppermints”. It was the perfect combination of the new so called psychedelic sound with a hook that was very pop. The single went gold and they even had a long forgotten follow up hit in 1968 called “Tomorrow” that made it to number 23 on the Billboard charts. Here in Philadelphia the rock club called The Trauma scored a major booking by getting The Strawberry Alarm Clock to play their small club. There was a long line at the club to see the band and many had to be turned away. I thought I was one of the lucky ones to get in until I saw the concert. From the opening notes, it was clear that…
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The news was hardly a real shock since days before Aretha Franklin died her family announced that she was gravely ill and in hospice care, Still, it was hard to believe that one of the most powerful voices of all time is now gone. Her legacy, however, will live on forever. Despite her obvious talents, Aretha was not an immediate success. The legendary producer John Hammond discovered her and signed her to Columbia Records. While Hammond, one of the best ever at spotting talent, didn’t make a mistake signing Ms. Franklin, Columbia Records dropped the ball. At the time the label was still living in the past and was living in denial that Rock & Roll and R & B were just a passing thing. As a result they tried to change the entire spirit of Aretha’s’ act and made her more like the so called torch singers. It didn’t…
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The title of Buddy Guy’s latest album, THE BLUES IS ALIVE AND WELL, has more than a ring of truth to it. A lyric in the title song “as long as I’m around, the Blues is still alive and well” may even sound arrogant to some casual music fans, but those who really know the Blues know exactly what he means. Buddy Guy is the last great Chicago Blues man standing. Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, Howlin’ Wolf, Magic Sam, Junior Wells, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williams are all long gone. He is the man who is carrying the torch for the genre and carrying it well. The new album is available in CD, vinyl (including a special blue vinyl set that includes an MP3 code) and as a download. It’s all good.
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While driving my car today I heard the news. Dan Ingram has died at the age of 83. All I could do was say “Oh no!” out loud. Since I was alone at the time, no one heard me. Such was not the case with this legendary top forty DJ. Millions of people tuned into WABC in New York every day to hear Dan Ingram. He was on the air there for some 22 years. He stayed on the air in the big apple until he retired in 2003. As I continued to drive my mind was filled with memories of listening to Ingram. Most of the time he did afternoon drive time. I was a faithful listener for many years and as a kid joined his club and got my Kemosabe Kard (see the actual kard - front & back - within this story). This card has been in…
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On June 24, 2018 WMGK presented a concert at Camden’s BB&T Pavilion with co liners ZZ Top and John Fogerty. With both acts being in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, it was a toss-up as to who should go on first. After all, they both are “Heavy Hitters”. On this evening it was ZZ Top that took the stage first. They had plenty of material to draw from. Their 1983 album ELIMINATOR alone sold a total of 25 million copies. It stands out among the eleven gold, seven platinum and three multi-platinum albums the group has earned. Those of us in Philadelphia who were very much a part of those years when radio was playing the music that has become classic Rock, can take pride in the fact that we helped launch a number of legendary acts. But we were late to the table with ZZ Top.
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At first glance this may seem to be a very odd title for not only a book, but a tour. Once you read the new Phil Collins memoir it becomes very clear why he chose it as the title of his autobiography. During the course of the book you get a very personal self evaluation. Throughout you will find a refreshing dose of the Phil Collins humor. He is very open about his feelings from talking about the other musicians in Genesis, his failed marriages, his battle with health issues, and his bouts with drugs and alcohol. He did literally almost die on more than one occasion. “There have been lots of highs and more than a few lows,” claims Collings about the book, “I’m being completely honest about all of them, embarrassingly so in some cases”.
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Not even a heavy down pour of rain just as the 39th annual Race for the kids was about to start could dampen the spirits of the over 1,500 runners that lined up in Philadelphia’s Fairmont Park. It was nothing but cheers and hollering as the gun went off starting yet another very successful Philly Bar race. The serious runners were off in a flash, but most that participated were just out for a fun run. It was all for a very good cause. The money collected will benefit the Center for Child Advocates. This non-profit organization was created to change the story for the many abused and neglected children in the area. Once again this year T. Morgan was the Grand Marshal for the race. He handed out the prizes for the various age groups. See pictures taken of the event below.
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When rock fans mention the names of Rock’s superstars, they rarely include Bob Seger. They most certainly should. Bob was born in the motor city of Detroit during more prosperous times. Like so many of that time period, his father Stewart worked for Ford Motor Company. Stewart was also an amateur musician and played several instruments exposing his son to lots of music at a very age. In 1961 while still in high school Bob became a member of a band called The Decibels. The band broke up despite the Seger penned song “The Lonely one” being recorded and being aired on a local radio station (it was the first of many songs written by Seger that would be played on the radio).After playing with a few local bands and making close music friends like Glenn Fry, Bob wrote a song called “East Side Story” that was recorded for a…
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In a sold out dinner / ceremony that was held on November 17, 2017, longtime Philadelphia radio personality was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia’s Hall of Fame. He was cited for not only his contribution as a on air personality, but for his programming skills that stood out during his over fifty years of being associated with both radio and records. T. Morgan would like to thank all those on the selection committee for selecting him for this very high honor. He would also like to thank all of his friends and family who were there to witness his induction. It made the night even more special to have all of you there. If you would like to see the presentation, click on the link below. It will take you directly to the intro and acceptance speech. Please note that T. Morgan’s running up to the stage was edited out.…
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On February 2, 1968 a converted tire warehouse ushered in a new era of concert entertainment. Under the marquee of The Electric Factory the doors opened for those who were aware of a new direction being taken in Rock & Roll music. It was just a few months earlier that the music was being played on commercial radio for first time when I launched a new format playing exciting and talented new groups like The Jefferson Airplane, The Mothers of Invention, Cream, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Country Joe & The Fish, etc. Soon all these acts were performing at this new venue. On that first night those of us who attended found a whole new “Psychedelic” environment in which to enjoy “our music”. The headline act that first night was The Chamber Brothers who did a lengthy version (as if the LP version wasn’t long enough) of…
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Several years back I started reading stories about schools dropping their music programs. Cut backs was the reason given for removing what I considered a vital part of education. At the time I was so taken back by the news that I wrote a screenplay for what I thought would make a good made for TV movie. The storyline was simple. What this world would be like if we lived in a world without music being taught. One answer would be that young minds would find a way to learn music anyway. Some of the very best musicians learned without the benefit of teachers. They are the exception. If music is not taught in the schools then a very important learning tool is lost to many who will never grow up to make a living playing music. It has been proven that music improves not only your reasoning ability, it…
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On January 17, 2018 the January lunch and panel discussion of Delco Press club was held at the Springhaven Country Club. In Wallingford, PA. The panel answered questions from the moderators (Andrea DiFabio and Lorraine Ranalli) and the audience. Both provided very thoughtful questions and got some very informative answers. The panel considered of several prominent people from radio. The topic of the day was centered on the future of radio. Those on the panel included: Sara Lomax-Reese is the president and CEO of WURD Radio in Philadelphia. She is credited with transforming WURD from a struggling legacy talk radio station into a multi-media success. Most recently they have expanded to simulcasting on 900 AM and 96.1 FM. She spoke brilliantly about the struggles of the station and what they are doing survive in the market place. Her leadership has made the stations and their magazine outlet very viable in…
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