FEATURE archives
Jan. 08 - Elvis Presley's Birthday...he would be 73 this year if he were still with us..of course, in a way, he still is on The HOP 178. Join us all day long for a musical tribute to a young man from South Tupelo, Mississippi who just wanted to make a reocrd for his mother's birthday and ended up igniting a rock 'n roll revolution around the globe.
Elvis has attracted fans like no other performer in popular music history. To visit one of the best Elvis fan sites CLICK HERE.
Jan. 14 - Fresh in the Big Apple from his stint at WJW in Cleveland, Ohio DJ Alan Freed wastes no time in showing New York what this new "rock 'n roll" thing is all about. He holds his very first multi-artist concert on Jan. 14, 1955 at the 6000 seat St. Nicholas Arena. The line-up included Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, The Harptones, Fats Domino, "Big" Joe Turner and Ruth Brown.
The HOP 178 takes you back to that eventful day with debut spins from the artists who made rock 'n roll history.
Jan. 22 - Considered by many to be "the" definitive soul singer, Sam Cooke never really settled on one particular style and was adept at singing pop ballads to rock 'n roll to gritty R&B. He went beyond the average singer of the day not only as an intellignet business man but also as pioneering black entrepreneur who produced records for other artists and founded his own record label and publishing company.
Sam Cooke would be 71 this year if he were still with us in body but he is always with us in spirit through his wonderful musical legacy.
The HOP 178 highlights his catalog of material all-day long with a guaranteed two-songs per hour.
Jan. 22 - Considered by many to be "the" definitive soul singer, Sam Cooke never really settled on one particular style and was adept at singing pop ballads to rock 'n roll to gritty R&B. He went beyond the average singer of the day not only as an intellignet business man but also as pioneering black entrepreneur who produced records for other artists and founded his own record label and publishing company.
Sam Cooke would be 71 this year if he were still with us in body but he is always with us in spirit through his wonderful musical legacy.
On-air January 22 The HOP 178 will highlight his extensive catalog of material all-day long with a guaranteed two-songs per hour but right now "on-demand" for our web site readers is a list of other great on-line resources for Sam Cooke info:
Sam Cooke's Official Web Site
Sam's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame page
Learn about ALL the songs and LPs that Sam recorded
In-depth account of the death of Sam Cooke
NPR's The Sounds Of American Culture highlights Sam's recording of "A Change Is Gonna Come"
Art Garfunkel profiles Sam for Rolling Stone in 2004
Peter Guralnick, author of "Dream Boogie: the Life And Death Of Sam Cooke", appears on NPR's News And Notes program in 2005.
Order your own copy of Dream Boogie from Amazon.com
Author Peter Guralnick also wrote the script for the biographical DVD Sam Cooke: Legend and penned the liner notes to the acompanying CD Portrait Of A Legend. He appeared on NPR's Morning Edition in 2003 to discuss them both.
The Portrait Of A Legend CD is available from numerous on-line retailers..just CLICK HERE.
Feb. 03 - "The Day The Music Died" - The phrase was immortalized by Don McLean's "American Pie" in 1972 and the sentiment is just as strong today. When Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper lost their lives in a single engine plane crash it seemed that rock 'n roll might not be "here to stay". Today history shows us that, although a great trajedy, is was a significant point in galvanizing a new musical expression into a permanent social and cultural revolution.Throughout the day on Sunday Feb. 03, The HOP 178 will explore the lives and music of the three young men who helped shape a significant turning point in Amercian history that they never lived to see. The music certainly did not die on that dark day in 1959..it lives on stronger than ever right here on WorldSpace.
Feb. 03, 1959 - "The Day The Music Died" - The phrase was immortalized by Don McLean's "American Pie" in 1972 and the sentiment is just as strong today. When Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper lost their lives in a single engine plane crash it seemed that rock 'n roll might not be "here to stay". Today history shows us that, although a great trajedy, is was a significant point in galvanizing a new musical expression into a permanent social and cultural revolution.Throughout the day on Sunday Feb. 03, The HOP 178 will explore the lives and music of the three young men who helped shape a significant turning point in Amercian history that they never lived to see. The music certainly did not die on that dark day in 1959..it lives on stronger than ever right here on WorldSpace.
There's no need to try and retell the whole story when there are so many excellent web sites out there that have devoted themselves to that task. Listed below is a small sample of some of the best:
About the Event
Wikipedia listing for events on Feb. 03 in history
Wikipedia listing for “Day Music Died”
50sweb.com overview with additional links
Coroner’s report on Buddy Holly
Coroner’s report on crash
News item from the BBC
About Buddy Holly
The Official On-line Community of Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly at the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame
Complete Buddy Holly discography
Buddy Holly The Complete Works
Buddy Holly on-line
Buddy at Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
About The Big Bopper
Official Big Bopper web site
Big Bopper autopsy in 2007
“Chantilly Lace” song facts
Big Bopper case study
About Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens Official web site
Ritchie Valens at Rockabilly Hall Of Fame
Ritchie Valens from “Rockin’ Country Style”
Now that you've got all the pieces to the story only one thing remains...tune in to The HOP 178 all-day Sunday Feb. 03 for all the great music that these three young men left behind for us to enjoy.
Dave Adler, Scooter Magruder and the Legendary Johnny Dark will all be there waiting with even more stories just for you!!
Feb. 07 – 10 "The BIG Beatles Weekend"
On February 7, 1964, the Beatles “jumped the pond” on Pan Am Flight 101 and landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Accompanied by their manager, Brian Epstein, and a small entourage that included producer Phil Spector and his group the Ronettes, The Beatles had come to America for an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," followed by a handful of concert dates. Over the course of their 14 day trip it was official…Beatlemania had reached America and taken it by storm.
The HOP 178 pays homage to those first 14 days in America in a grand four-day weekend beginning Thursday Feb. 07..it’s The BIG Beatles Weekend
featuring all the best of The Fab Four including a few surprises along the way.
March 07 – 14 "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Week"
To Honor 2008 Rock 'n Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees The Ventures and The Dave Clark Five, the The HOP 178 presents "Rock 'n Roll Hall Of Fame Week".
For seven straight days The HOP will feature classic recordings from the Honor Roll of legendary performers, producers, songwriters, disc jockeys and others who have made rock and roll the force that it is in our culture.
From James Brown to Roy Orbison...from the Beatles to the Platters...from Allen Toussaint to Ahmet Ertegun..they're all in the Hall Of Fame and they're all on The HOP!
April 12 – 14 "Bill Haley & His Comets Weekend"
Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" may not have been the very first rock 'n roll record recorded but most historians agree that it was the song that put rock 'n roll on the map!
Recorded in New York City on April 12, 1954 it was the bands very first session for Decca Records. Though not an immediate hit record it quickly gained momentum and it is often cited as the biggest-selling vinyl rock and roll single of all time.
To celebrate the anniversary of this landmark rock record, The HOP 178 rolls out an entire weekend of Bill Haley & His Comets!!
From the early Saddlemen sides to the ROCKIN' hits that sent the jukeboxes swingin' it's The BIG Bill Haley Weekend only on The HOP.
CLICK HERE for an exclusive "on-line" interview with author Jim Dawson.