But the moment was indelible for one of his daughters, Debbie Brennan Bartoletti. Brennan estimates that 16,000-17,000 people came to Legion Field for the show, fulfilling the radio station's mission but falling short of blockbuster status. The most entertaining act? The . The Who played there. The father of six and grandfather of two currently lives in Montgomery and plays with the Bama Breeze Band. Procedimientos. "They would be paying the acts, literally, in cash. ", "I don't know if it has been mentioned yet, but for the Alabama Theater I would definitely include Warren Zevon's show in, what?.1986 or '87?, said earman1. I said, 'Well, you've got a choice here. The Other Side of Montgomery: Growing Up White in the Birthplace of the So it was a deliberate attempt to identify with people, and to recognize that they were requesting these songs. It will be the first time theyve have been together since a reunion benefit at a local club in 2007. Keyboardist Mark Marvin will fill in for Eddie Wohlford who is unable to attend. The most popular group, both Brennan brothers agree, was Hermans Hermits (see sidebar below). We mostly had a lot of fun., They were especially known for their James Brown-style revue, with Grier wearing a cape much like the Godfather of Soul used while singing Please, Please, Please., The group got a break in 1968 when a Hollywood producer spotted them at the Big BAM show, and wanted to sign them to a recording contract. Saw them at the University of Alabama home coming in 1978 as well. "Play It All Night Long." They would buy so many tickets in advance, we didn't have to worry about whether they were going to come or not.". to see more entries, Posted on June 1, 2011 by bob in Features. Flintstone House. So many great City Stages performances: Chuck Berry (backed my some of Birmingham's finest), James Brown, Johnny Cash (right after Randy Newman! Members: Original members John Key, David Headley and Bob Corley plus David Langford, Mike Mobley, Larry Hughes, Bobby Johnson and Rick Roper. Hello? Anybody else remember seeing Joplin in Tuscaloosa? I just went to the Coliseum for the music. Inicio Quines somos? A recent Skype video call to his U.K. home found Whitwam fondly remembering the Hermits Big BAM Show performances. He never collectedconcertposters, handbills orother pieces of memorabilia. Brennan, now 86, introduced the Beatles at the Gator Bowlin Jacksonville, Fla., when the Fab Four played there on Sept. 11, 1964. Springsteen played the 'short end' of the the Beard-Eaves with the curtain up. ", From Larry Gilbreath: "I know it's been a long time ago but not one single June Jam in Fort Payne on the list unbelievable." At the time, though, Brennan was simply doing his job, helping the family's radio stations to connect with listeners in a vivid, concrete way. snapchat chat bitmoji peeking. I didn't stay afterwards, but my friends who did said that he stood in the lobby as long as anyone was there greeting fans and talking about world hunger. THE 5 BEST Upcoming Concerts & Shows in Montgomery - Tripadvisor The other name band on the show was the Allman Brothers, they had just released their first album. We played a lot of soul music, the Beatles, the Stones, he said. Any of the Yes shows in Birmingham! That one was epic alright, unlike any other! [2] Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning to sports talk under the WMSP callsign in 1995. Dan Brennan, center, with the Grass Roots. The Untold Story of the Beatles' Desegregation Rider It was elbow to elbow in there, remembered drummer Tommy Beavers. "It was cold outside, show was to begin at 6 but began at 9; coeds from T-town waited for 2nd show which was to begin at 9 but began at about 2 next morning, had to get permission to stay in those days and freeze outside at Auburn University Coliseum. Hisconcertseries rocked their worlds and shaped their music tastes, in tandem with WVOK. Most of the clubs have gone to a single performer, or a duo or karaoke. Many of the artists told me these were the biggest shows theyd ever done.. During a recent show some ladies, obviously a few years older than him, recognized Grier from the early Gibraltar days. I said, 'Cyril, what do you think we ought to do?' I also went to one free concert on the old Quad (Woods Hall) in the late 60s that featured Linda Ronstadt (backed up by the Eagles). Wed have them in the spring, summer, fall and winter, said Dan Brennan, known on-air as Dan the Music Man hosting Dans Dusty Discs, who also announced acts on-stage. by Lenore Reese Vickrey: photos by the Brennan Family, Lenore Vickrey, As the arena began to fill up, you could hear the noise of the crowd from backstage. "It was a promotional thing for us. Their friends were quite envious when they got to hang out with the Grass Roots, Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds, Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders, and rode around with Eric Burden and the Animals. Big BAM Shows of the late 1960s and early 1970s featured all the biggest artists of the day, including Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, Iron Butterfly, The Carpenters, The Monkees (as a group and individually), Tommy Joyce and Bobby Heart, The Grass Roots, and many more. George Harrison is behind Dan on the left, John Lennon on the right. How Sonny and Cher Went From TV's Power Couple to Bitter Exes - Biography The Big BAM was WBAM, the 50,000-watt AM radio station owned by the Brennan family, whose other Alabama station was Birminghams WVOK. FACIAL. That was one of my first big gigs - the Big BAM shows! The other was Municipal Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a show had been set for September 15 th. Now sales manager for a Dothan radio station, Moody fondly remembers working as a teenager at a 1959 WBAM concert featuring singer Connie Francis. the tall man aboriginal spirit; metadata api request failed: component conversion failed: file_ended; caleb foote sandlot So we had to delay the start of the show about 15 minutes or so while the carpenters came out and put these rails together. ", From Cobb: "Buckingham Nicks in Morgan Auditorium Tuscaloosa Alabama Fall 1973.". Bobby Goldsboro | Way Back Attack Keith Richards was almost electrocuted when his guitar grounded on a mic. "I didn't stay up there too long," Brennan says, laughing. The only multiple-act show in the country similar to what the Brennans offered were those produced by Dick Clark. Big Bam All-Star Spring Show Setlists Apr 8 1967 Date Saturday, April 8, 1967 Venue Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA Report festival So far there are setlists of 9 gigs. You can either do that, or you will not have a place to change. Props. The Huntsville Times file photo/Michael Proffitt. Gobs of people have asked us when were going to do another reunion. Or Nirvana at Boutwell in 1993?Or Roger McGuinn at Merrimack Hall in 2014? The Righteous Brothers. Instant Help Questions? Johnny Carson wanted him on The Tonight Show.Music fans were clamoring for the single and album that featured this emotion-filled song about a man in love with his wife, who planted a . Johnny Cash. After helping escort her safely away from an unruly crowd, she rewarded him with a big kiss. 3. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Steve Lander, who originally booked Harvest at the Kove in 1975, has offered the Blue Iguana free for the night. It was a clear channel station that covered over 90 counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and could be heard everywhere. He wants to go on late in the show.' The Buckinghams. The last concert at Big Bam Fall Spectacular was on September 30, 1966. One of the most powerful Shower of Stars events happened on May 7, 1965, when WVOK brought the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys to Legion Field. The Carpenters. Saturday, April 8, 1967 Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL Blues Magoos Brian Hyland Lou Christie The Buckinghams The Casinos The Electric Prunes The Royal Guardsmen The Turtles Rich Thomas Weather. WBAM-FM - History - Historical Videos "We never had a flop," Brennan says, "but we had some shows that were a little bit bigger than others. It is amazing to think that was 41 years ago. The band also played Birmingham in May 1977, according to this story by Madison Underwood. Beth Nielsen joined the group after Shaw left. The Big BAM Shows. FUNK-ON. Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning Shower of Stars - Bhamwiki He was replaced by Johnny Townsend from Tuscaloosa, who was living with Duane and Gregg Allman in LA. It wasnt concerts where you played and 500 people sat down and listened to you. But with two hotshot rock bandson the bill at Legion Field, the twangier acts faced a tougher crowd and some of the musicians felt like underdogs. BB King's penultimate show at the Alabama (sitting but still playing and not drifting into non sequitur land). These are just a few of the acts presentedby the Brennans during the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. Patsy Cline Performs Her Final Show Country Music Memories; Most Wanted Music: 2023's Country and Americana Album Releases; Follow Us. Customer Help Desk Only concert I have ever been to where they had tee shirts for the guitarist in the band along with the band's shirts. The eruption from the crowd was louder than expected but the lights were so blinding, we could not see the audience. "My brother, he was always a little bit of a gambler," Brennan says. And if we hadn't had (Hurricane Dora), we would have made a lot of money. on. "His 'side' men was the entire Little Feat rhythm section. We'll have to ask him. By nature, talent and inclination, Brennanwasentirely suited to the family business; thousands of fans knew his voice and remembered his name. "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . In the 1960's WVOK, in Birmingham Alabama, would have the top bands play at one huge concert. The Beatles in Alabama? Jimbo Jones (L) and Tommy Beavers look forward to the reunion of Harmony. "I felt that I was lucky to be able to have the kind of job I had," Brennan says. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "He said, 'Dan, I like to play for you here in town, but I don't want you to ever book me on a show like this again. big bam shows montgomery, alabama More on the Grateful Dead's 1995 shows in Birmingham, from AL.com's "Lost Stories" series. Vocalist in Salem, Alabama 1,320 views on fandalism. ", From Art Meripol: "U2's Zoo Tour at Legion was pretty fun from the floor.". The Troggs. Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park 52 Theaters Parks By Meowy The Captain and Tennille Show became a network hit and featured guest stars such as John Travolta, Don Knotts, The Pointer Sisters, and Red Foxx. "In those days, you could go to a concert and there was only one back door. Date:Sun, 5 Jun 2005 09:12:45 -0400 I'll tell you a story about that WBAM show in Montgomery. Bama Country 98.9 - WBAM - Montgomery's Most Country I never chased the stars around to hotels or anything. Herman's Hermits. The Fabulous Shades said donnna. So they both sang a few bars of the song, 'You're the Reason I'm Living," and we still couldn't decide which one was the real one. They didn't come to hear me; they came to hear the Rolling Stones.'". It made me feel good in a way, he said. Beavers has played drums for various bands, including Doc Severinson, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett, winning a Grammy Award for Best Performance by Duo or Group in 1994 while a member of Asleep at the Wheel. But Lewis went over his allotted time. WMSP - Wikipedia Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 100 feet later someone offered us tickets at face value. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. WVOK would produce another show at Legion Field before the station left the concert business -- the Osmonds and Springfield Revival appeared there on Aug. 15, 1973 -- but for the most part, Municipal Auditorium remained home base for the Shower of Stars. The Rolling Stones. Zero , Northwest Florida: 08/22/2010 - 08/29/2010 - Blogger "Tuscaloosa Memorial Coliseum 1972," said Randy Palmer. I'll never forget it. "Probably the most famous and beloved would be Buckingham Nicks at Boutwell in January of 1975. MEMORABLE SLOGANS | Page 2 | RadioDiscussions Lead in groups were the James Gang with Joe Walsh, and a group that got booed called Frampton's Camel before Peter Frampton hit it big. December 3, 1955-As an extra Bonus..here's the advertisement for sister station WBAM, Montgomery, AL, when the very young Elvis Presley appeared. WBAM Big Bam Shows - YouTube In most cases, the concertswere multi-act affairs, featuring the hottest names the radio stations could secure. WBAM, also known as Bama Country 98.9, is a country music formatted radio station that serves the Montgomery Metropolitan Area, broadcasting on the FM band at a frequency of 98.9 MHz and licensed to Montgomery, Alabama. Read reviews from world's largest community for readers. Music lovers would line up at each venue, some arriving hours in advance, then rush inside to secure their favorite general-admission seats. Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning to sports talk under the WMSP callsign in 1995. The stage was an immense rectangle glutted with scaffolding and hundreds of klieg lights and a sound system on a board that looked like the skyline of New York at night. Brennan also remembers that Starr requested reinforcements to the stage area near his drum kit, because strong gusts lingered after the hurricane. Alicia Mcleod - Vocals - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy "What's that Frank Sinatra song? Memorial Coliseum, now known as Coleman Coliseum. Office Phone: (334) 244-0961 Office Fax: (334) 279-9563 Rick Peters - President / General Manager Jennifer Pestrichelli - Director of Sales Jay Scott - Operations Manager Shelby Ingram - Promotions Director Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tommy, I'm in Montgomery, Alabama. Im content where Im at, said Beavers, except I could lose about 80 pounds.. REENADED . Map of Alabama State, USA - Nations Online Project Dan Brennan recalls the reaction from performers. Montgomery resident Mike Vickery remembers getting a friends mother to drive him and others to the WBAM station to get tickets as soon as they went on sale so we could get them near the front on the floor. On one occasion, he accompanied some female friends to the Diplomat Inn where they spotted Lou Christie sitting by the pool, a secret one of them has never told her mother to this day.. The song actually topped the charts on WBAM in Montgomery, AL for a few weeks which gave us introductions to the British Invasion groups coming through Montgomery for the Big BAM shows held at the Coliseum for many years, like The Who, The Hollies, The Blues Magoos, The Kinks, and many more including American groups like The Beach Boys, The . In 2020, the median property value in Montgomery, AL was $121,100, and the homeownership rate was 54.1%. (Photo courtesy of the Brennan family). The primary reason for the shows was to keep a personal relationship with the listeners, said Dan Brennan, 81, former general manager at WVOK. Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. Our four-piece horn section sets us apart, said Key. fireworks at the end while playing freebird.??? Best Review Site for Digital Cameras. Famous quotes containing the words historical and/or videos: Iron Butterfly. Once solo and once with a band. Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA Concert Setlists | setlist.fm The largest universities in Montgomery, AL are Auburn University at Montgomery (975 degrees awarded in 2020), Faulkner University (844 degrees), and Alabama State University (712 degrees). ", From Shapeshiftinhmojo: "Jimi Hendrix played Alabama twice in both Tuscaloosa and Auburn in 1968 or 69. I think we had at least 15,000-16,000 people there. ", From bamamaam: "What about the lynyrd skynyrd concert at rickwood field in the '70's.? When I got on stage the drum kit seat was way too high. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. We didnt play where people sat around and drank. Big Bam Show Montgomery, Al 1960s F.U.N. The Other Side of Montgomery - Google Books From Mike Travis: "KISS, Van Halen, Rush, The Who, The Rolling Stones , Pink Floyd the racetrack mudfield to see GNR, Billy Joel and Elton John as well as the Eagles and Metallica in '81. By today's standards, his solution to the latter problemseems charmingly old-school. Published by at February 16, 2022. I missed a bunch more, though!". Elvis Presley. Competition was evident between the two bands, Brennan says, as the Beach Boys returned for their splashiest date at the Shower of Stars, and the Stones made theirBirmingham debut on their first U.S. tour. Your favorite concerts in Alabama music history - al.com That radio station had its concerts, too, dubbedJet-Fli Spectaculars, at the Soldiers &Sailors Memorial Auditorium. Lou Christie was huge in Montgomery. Alabama | Garage Hangover We try to introduce people to music maybe they werent aware of. Signature song includes Both Sides of the Road, about Perdido Bay, written by Ham Wilson. Beavers and Jones will be joined by former members Kelvin Holly, who works in the recording industry in Muscle Shoals and tours with Neil Young, and Bill Hinds, who tours with the Paul Thorn Band. It was everything. But from the . Yet there was also a gentler side of the city that is rarely revealed within the pages of history texts. Make Favorite Store Contact 1957 Cobbs Ford Rd. I kept going to at least one show a year through about 1968, he said. Oxford American | He Made You Look into the Abyss and Like It They had the Stones in about 1963-64, with Brian Jones before he died. Biography Toni Tennille [Montgomery native and fellow Robert E. Lee graduate Tommy Shaw came back from Chicago to join the group, staying six months until getting a call to join Styx, who needed a replacement for a guitarist whod left as they were about to go on tour. He showed up about five minutes before his show was to go on. "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years. Search the Largest Online Newspaper Archive. (His moniker on the air: Dan the Music Man. The resulting concerts -- which evolved into a series called the WVOK Shower of Stars in Birmingham, the Big BAM shows in Montgomery and the Big APE Convention in Jacksonville -- became enormously popular with radio listeners. But in the stations' 1960s heyday, shows usually kicked off on Fridays inMontgomery atGarrett Coliseum and moved to Birmingham on Saturdays at Municipal Auditorium (now called Boutwell Auditorium). zhonb.zulukazahn.best He would tear up the piano, Moody said, We couldnt find anyone to provide a piano, but he would put on a show. One of Brennan's favorite anecdotes concerns a young Elvis Presley, making waves and jostling for position before a concerton Dec. 3,1955, at Garrett Coliseum. ", From shapeshiftinhmojo: "The Allman Brothers played at the National Guard Armory as both the Almond Joys and as the Allman Brothers in the 1960's as well as Tuscaloosa in the seventies when they were huge. "This was a daytime concert that seemed like a war zone with fireworks flying everywhere. "One of my favorites was RUSH 1981 Mobile Municipal Auditorium," said tgfmiss. The Show That Almost Happened A license for the station was issued in 1952. With no sound checks between acts, group would run on stage and begin playing almost immediately. It was great! Roy Orbis. WMSP is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, United States. truly historic happening. Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Show Duplicate for Mar 22, 2013: Mar 08, 2013 Justin Moore: Garrett Coliseum: Neil Diamond. The WVOK Shower of Stars was a series of concerts sponsored by WVOK-AM at the Birmingham Armory and later at Birmingham's Municipal Auditorium.Program director Dan Brennan organized the shows, which gained national notice.. Concerts. ", Also on his list: "Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Jesse Colin Young and The Youngbloods, Legion Field, sometime in the 70's.
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