In one fell swoop, he was in hot demand. Signature songs include Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison), Cryin (Roy Orbison). 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 Just a few of the letters WBAM received from fans providing input into the acts they wished to see at the shows. Performers would play to more than 10,000 at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery Friday night (for Tommy James in 1967 it just seemed like 30,000), then pack-up and play three shows in Birmingham on Saturday. ", From Steve Wayne: "Guns N' Roses at the Birmingham Race Course. (Photo courtesy of the Brennan family). Jerry Lee Lewis, the Brennans said. And didn't ever explain to the people what had happened. By the time they came to get us we were pretty shozzeled.. said donnna. Herman's Hermits. Disbanded in 66, reunited 76, returned to active performance 1991. The Big BAM Shows. Consumate pranksters, duo Jan and Dean walk across the stage carrying a ladder to the surprise of Paul Revere and the Raiders' lead singer Mark Lindsey. ", From Shapeshiftinhmojo: "Jimi Hendrix played Alabama twice in both Tuscaloosa and Auburn in 1968 or 69. Because it was so big, we ran on stage as soon as we were introduced, grabbed our instruments and started playing before the applause died down. Montgomery's home for country music favorites like Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert . Herman's Hermits in the studio, Barry Whitwam on drums. The band has undergone several incarnations. ", From bamamaam: "What about the lynyrd skynyrd concert at rickwood field in the '70's.? ", From Eric Pendergrass: "Grateful Dead BJCC April 4,5 1995.". The author recalls with fondness the casual neighborliness that existed within his community, the freedom that children enjoyed to roam and play, and the slower pace of life that prevailed. Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis were on the bill, said Whitwam of their first performance at Garrett Coliseum. REENADED . From Denniswingo: "April 1977 was Led Zeppelin.famous because it was so totally over promoted with the K-99 disc jockeys claiming $100 scalped tickets (it was $7.50 ticket price). No one came down to buy scalped tickets at the price everyone thought they were going to have to pay.. hehehehe .", From Mark Keppler: "Eagles 1977 Hotel California Tour Civic Center. porsche cayman 987 bodykit; efficiencies for rent in riverview, fl. I was blown away. Many regulars from the Kove days brought their grown children and will likely do so again. Things changed a little bit after that. Steve Lander, who originally booked Harvest at the Kove in 1975, has offered the Blue Iguana free for the night. The 8:30 p.m. show -- which happened in the windy aftermath of Hurricane Dora-- came courtesy of WAPE-AM, a radio station owned by the Brennan family. This was the last concert they did before going back to LA and joining the band Fleetwood Mac. He doesnt keep up with Johnny Townsend, but remains friends with Rusty Crumpton and Ed Sanford, who is a successful artist in Los Angeles. The Carpenters. That's how we put together our shows. Several others mentioned seeing the Rolling Stones in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. 6 places sorted by traveler favorites Clear all filters 1. . According to Ben Flanagan's story for AL.com, the band also played in Tuscaloosa at Memorial Coliseum, now Coleman Coliseum. In 1964 the Brennans booked the Beatles for a concert in either Legion Field in Birmingham, or Garrett Coliseum or Crampton Bowl in Montgomery. The early concert didn't begin until it was time for the second one, but it was worth the wait. View the Full Page. So we had another beer. "I think the story about Buckingham Nicks is pretty interesting. big bam shows montgomery, alabama. One show in particular stands out. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Keith Richards was almost electrocuted when his guitar grounded on a mic. He recalls the popular hangouts for older teens and the legendary "Big Bam Shows" of the period. "It cost enough that we were lucky to come out with just enough and break even with it," Brennan says. The Alabama band was the organizer and centerpiece, raising money for charity. Both concerts were sold out. ", "I'm also inclined to mention 1982 at Boutwell when the Blizzard of Ozz played; Randy Rhoades' third to last appearance before his tragic death," said GmanGent. Fees for the other acts were in the $300-$400 range, he says. 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 Show That Almost Happened That was a lot of money. Blue arcs of electricity knocked him unconscious and the show ended 15 minutes early. Peter (Asher) and Gordon (Waller), Big BAM Show. DMX. To be honest, Brennan doesn't precisely recall what he said to the audience that evening, just before the mop-topped John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr took the stage. Members: Mitch Alton (original member), Gregg Pappas, Ham Wilson, Bill Marshall , Dwight Williams, Rick Byrd, Orville Cain, Carl Tesh. ), "I remember we used to have people come out to our station on the Bessemer Superhighway," Brennan says, "and they would tell us that our transmitter -- we had a 50-kilowatt transmitter, and it was pretty close to their homes -- and they said, 'Well, I'm picking you up on my coffeepot.'". His family owned WBAM in Montgomery, and WVOK in Birmingham, both 50,000 watt clear channels stations back in the day. Tickets to these shows were typically $3 to $4. His current band, The Soul Crackas, does many of the same soul hits the Rockin Gibraltar performed. The chips were glued into Dianes scrap book between photos of the Beatles. "We started in 1947, and if you think about it, you didn't have very much television in those days," Brennan says in a recent interview. 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 . blues show montgomery, al 2021. guildford school of acting auditions; gilroy google font alternative; cuisinart steamer insert; Blog Post Title February 26, 2018. Fans would mail their orders to the station, requesting a specific showtime, and the envelopes often included suggestions for artists they'd like to see. Oh, and some guy named David on slide. Submit a request Contact us through a specially prepared form. We occasionally wouldn't fill all three seatings in Birmingham, but I don't think we ever had one that was less than about 70 percent full, with all three together. ", 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." It gave them a voice. Their most popular singles were It Will Stand (also recorded by The Showmen) and Bug of Soul. The groups members drifted back to Alabama, with the exception of Townsend and Sanford who formed the Sanford-Townsend Band and recorded the hit Smoke from a Distant Fire.. Other notable former personalities included Bill J. Moody, Paul Simpkins, Mark Robbins, Gene Hocutt and Joe Cook. The band's management initially asked for 85 percent of the ticket proceeds or $25,000, whichever was greater, Brennan says. "Me and my girlfriends would get up at -- holy moly, 6 a.m. -- and get there long before the show ever started," said Connie Peek, a former Shower of Stars regular, during a 2003 interview with The Birmingham News. By the summer of 1975 hed joined singer and keyboardist Eddie Wohlford and drummer Tommy Beavers to become part of Harvest, the precursor to the group Harmony at the Kove that spawned two major talents who made it big nationally: Tommy Shaw and Beth Nielsen Chapman. Anotherbrother, Bill Brennan, was the undisputed chief of the Jacksonville station, and had houses in Montgomery and Jacksonville. ", From Cobb: "Buckingham Nicks in Morgan Auditorium Tuscaloosa Alabama Fall 1973.". Show Duplicate for Mar 22, 2013: Mar 08, 2013 Justin Moore: Garrett Coliseum: Of all the concerts I've been to in my lifetime, this one was the most memorable. ", Also on his list: "Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Jesse Colin Young and The Youngbloods, Legion Field, sometime in the 70's. "There was a little office backstage, and I remember seeing my father and uncles back there with a security guard," Bartoletti says. They were a staple at dances for years, packing National Guard armories, gymnasiums, and teen clubs from Montgomery to Opp and Troy, and college campuses at Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Ole Miss. The wildest thing other than the Troggs rocking out to "Wild Thing" and whipping around long dirty hanks of British hair was Lou Christie. Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. Whitwam, now in his 47th year playing music, is pleased with the makeup of their current audiences. When Cher and Sonny first met in 1963, she was 16, while he was 27 and married (he and his first wife were separated). "I didn't stay up there too long," Brennan says, laughing. It was elbow to elbow in there, remembered drummer Tommy Beavers. Its effortless., Even after all these years, agreed Jones. We didnt play where people sat around and drank. His clothes were all rumpled, and he said, 'Dan, I need to go on later in the show. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero for many of the major events central to the civil rights movement in this country. People came from several states to see these shows. He also helped to choose and line up some of the concert talent. Mountain 1971," said Billy Bromberg. Her very own father was on stage, standing closeto four of the most famous musicians in the world. Tickets cost $3 apiece. "One of the the things we had to do, in order to provide bathroom facilities for all of the artists, we had a bunch of RVs, recreation vehicles, and they were all over the field out there," Brennan says. Bottom (l-r), Ronnie Monroe, Bobby Dupree and Rusty Crumpton. Hendrix only played a limited number of concerts before he died and the one in Tuscaloosa blew the top off Memorial Coliseum. I told Jimbo we should all come in with walkers, laughed Beavers. 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. "They would be paying the acts, literally, in cash. More like this Cheerleading Pictures Cheerleading Uniforms Girls Knee Socks Saddle Shoes Long Socks Roller Derby Time Capsule Cheer Up Female Athletes Cheerleaders 1960-70s- Loving the knee socks, saddle shoes, and huge pom poms! It was just before his popularity exploded. Fans also rushed to nominate their favorites when asked for feedback. The capsule was opened during a ceremony December 3, but a complete list of its contents were not released at the time. 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 . Hank Williams was another frequent live on-air performer. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The other was Municipal Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a show had been set for September 15 th. Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. Some of the concerts took place in a single location -- most often, Jacksonville. Whitwam remembers little of that show, but subsequent performances are crystal clear. Thats not to say Montgomery area favorite bands cant be seen any more. They changed their name to Heart before eventually folding. "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . Respi Mee Sup Sabahiiat. Brennan's memories of the showsare less starry-eyed and more businesslike, as befitsthe man who booked the acts, paid the bills and tallied the proceeds. The Rogues recorded the 45 in February of 1966, for MBM Records, a Birmingham, Alabama label that goes back to the early '60s. Big Bam All-Star Spring Show Setlists Apr 8 1967 Date Saturday, April 8, 1967 Venue Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA So far there are setlists of 9 gigs 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 Capital Cool. At the time, Sonny was interested Cher's friend, not her. I'm sure they were totally confused.". He kicked it off with (what else?) Reactions to these picks -- made by entertainment reporters Matt Wake, Lawrence Specker and Mary Colurso -- ranged from praise to anger, support to dismay. From Denniswingo: "Was there! George Harrison is behind Dan on the left, John Lennon on the right. 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. Brennan bid farewell to concert promotion in 1973 --a necessary business decision, he says -- and for Birmingham music lovers, it was the end of an era. . Hes been a school principal and now sells wholesale art, although business has been suffering due to the economy. So many great City Stages performances: Chuck Berry (backed my some of Birmingham's finest), James Brown, Johnny Cash (right after Randy Newman! "To go to the concerts was huge. Cyril Brennan, who received a Top Program Director award from Billboard Magazine, is retired and lives in Pike Road. 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. 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 Who. "It was quite a thing.". They would buy so many tickets in advance, we didn't have to worry about whether they were going to come or not.". We put on a heck of a show, said Grier. Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tommy, I'm in Montgomery, Alabama. 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. ", Several readers mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd as a given, pointing to various concerts throughout the state. Packed house for a 1960s Big BAM Show at Garrett Coliseum. Memorial Coliseum, now known as Coleman Coliseum. FACIAL. "I'm so old. +40 (724) 307.599 Lu - Vi: 9:00 - 18:00; big bam shows montgomery, alabama "Rickwood Field, late 70's. Dan Brennan, center, backstage at the Shower of Stars with with Paul Revere & the Raiders. We played a lot of soul music, the Beatles, the Stones, he said. According to Dan, the only surviving brother, it was Bill's decision to offer$50,000 to the Beatles for their appearance at the Gator Bowl. At this point, Mick Jagger and his pals were poised to release"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," their first international smash. "This was a daytime concert that seemed like a war zone with fireworks flying everywhere. "My brother, he was always a little bit of a gambler," Brennan says. nellson nutraceutical revenue; arlington catholic basketball roster; jack cawood and suzy hunt; lawn vacuum for acorns rental. Cyril's wife Louise would make us outfits for the Shower of Stars, and we'd have on these big bell bottoms. TheRolling Stones were closing the gap quickly, though, with a tougher, bluesier songbook that included "The Last Time," "Play With Fire" and "Time Is On My Side." No mention does anyone else remember that?". Iron Butterfly. "I'm also a little partial to Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jerry Reed, Johnny Paycheck, when they played at Old York Farms in the late '90s," said Jeremy Don McCollough. 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. Tommy James & the Shondells. ', "We went over there and asked Roy, and he said, 'No, we're not going to do that. Studio Phone Number: (334) 244-9898. Business Office/Studios 4101-A Wall Street Montgomery, AL 36106. They moved to LA, minus Grier whod gotten married and had a new baby and didnt want to move. Sweet Young Uns Thomas, joined by John Kay (solo after leaving Steppenwolf), the Grass Roots and others. Rock 'n' roll had just started, and you were right in the middle of it.". Notable TV and Radio personality Jimmy Carter (from Montgomery, Alabama) has assembled a few videos featuring some photos, jingles, and air checks of WBAM in its heyday. This doesn't even scratch the surface! Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. ", "Rolling Stones in Auburn '69," said James Robert Chambless. The station's studios are . Emerson, Lake and Palmer in QUAD sound - Tuscaloosa circa 1973. Our four-piece horn section sets us apart, said Key. One of its earliest Big BAM Shows featured Elvis Presley as he ascended to fame, on the same bill with Roy Acuff. They agreed to do it, but they were on one end of it, and the Beach Boys were on the other end of it. So I went out and introduced Bobby Edwards, and he sang songs, and I came back about half an hour later, and I said, 'Now, here's Bobby Edwards!' JLL put on a hell of a show also. "I'm so. Both stations played Top 40 hits of the day, and the concerts were the Brennans gifts to a loyal radio audience. The Brennan kids were popular during the concert years, as you might expect, and Bartoletti says she, her four siblings and her cousins were fixtures at the WVOK shows, seated in the front row. It's not like now, where they have secret tunnels and drive right into the auditorium.". But theres not a whole lot of money because theres no place for them to play. Most recently they performed earlier this year for a benefit show for ailing former bandmate Keith Brewer, who died in April of cancer. The Beatles were paid a fee of $50,000 -- a hefty sum in those days, Brennan says -- and in the thick of the civil rights movement, the band's contract specified that they wouldn't perform for a segregated audience. Garrett Coliseum, in contrast, could hold 10,000+ for a single performance in Montgomery. We rode up the . With no sound checks between acts, group would run on stage and begin playing almost immediately. I've got to change clothes and everything.' Categories . Several members still play in other bands for private parties, or solo at local restaurants, and on June 9, several members of Harmony plan a reunion show at the Blue Iguana in Prattville. WMSP (740 AM, "Sports Radio 740") is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA.The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. I think we had at least 15,000-16,000 people there. Im content where Im at, said Beavers, except I could lose about 80 pounds.. I can sing as good or better now than I did then, said Grier.

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