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ROCKOLLECTIONS: TRIBUTE/MEMORIAL 2007 PT.8 CONCLUSION

All right, finally wrapping it up with the Tribute/Memorials.
This was a strange one, as I knew it would be the last one and there would be people and songs left out.
I ALWAYS have more music than I can play.
And the first 4 songs you will hear, in particular, made me pause.
A couple of big country guys and a Broadway non-rocker died- did they fit the show?- plus the 4th song might be considered disrespectful.
Ah what the hell, this is free-form radio, so I went with them all, lol!
It’s part of my Diversity Programming, to sound like a politician- oh dear God, don’t let me sink that low!
We lost Porter Wagoner, who brought the world Dolly Parton besides having many country hits.
A good song from him about a once famous singer, called Skid Row Joe.
And listen for the thump, I hit the microphone when I cued Engineer Ken to play it! I do that a lot, lol!
I followed that with Hank Thompson, one of the inventors of Honky Tonk Swing, which led to Rockabilly- ergo, Rock & Roll.
Then I pondered and played one of the guys I remember yelling at the TV to get off the Ed Sullivan show, so I could see the Beatles or another British Invasion group.
That would be Robert Goulet, who I discovered made his Broadway DEBUT in Camelot- helluva way to start, and a helluva voice I now have grown to appreciate.
Then we come to the late author, Norman Mailer.
I didn’t want to make light of his death, but the 1st song I thought of was the same one Kenny did- it’s probably the one you are thinking of- so I said let’s do it!
I didn’t have time, but the actor Dick Wilson died in 2007.
You undoubtedly know him as Mr. Whipple, who for decades admonished customers NOT to squeeze the Charmin. So, in your head or for real, play anything by Squeeze- get it?
For Evel Knievel, a terrific song you’ll remember by the Ozark Mountain DAREDEVILS- another get it?
Ike Turner left us, and he recently started being credited with the FIRST Rock & Roll song, Rocket 88, which had always been listed as by Jackie Brenston. To hear it, go to the Podcast I did here called AND JUST WHAT WAS THE FIRST ROCK & ROLL SONG?
But this time for Ike, he and Tina Turner’s first song ever together, and it went Top 10 on the Rhythm & Blues charts.
The last one of note to go was back in December, Dan Fogelberg. That one hurt.
Gonna play my favorite Dan Fogelberg song, although I have quite a few.
A good way to look at things:
Love when you can
Cry when you have to…
Be who you must
That’s a part of the plan
Await your arrival
With simple survival
And one day we’ll all understand…

I hope you enjoyed this series, and as I mentioned in an earlier chapter, I don’t know any other show that takes as much time to pay tribute to these artists of all kinds.
They can’t give any more, and seems to me, deserve at least one more play!

Tags: Camelot, Dan Fogelberg, Dick Wilson, Evel Knievel, Hank Thompson, Honky Tonk Swing, Ike Turner, Jackie Brenston, Mr. Whipple, Norman Mailer, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Porter Wagoner, Robert Goulet, Rocket 88, Skid Row Joe, Squeeze, Tina Turner