by Robert Wilkinson
Today we have a lot of awesome music from extraordinary talents! The first wrote hits for the Stones and Janis, the second wrote and produced some of the greatest tunes of the past 50 years for the Shangri-Las, Vanilla Fudge, the New York Dolls, and "In A Gadda Da Vida," and the third was THE child keyboard prodigy who played with Sam Cooke, Nat "King" Cole, Ray Charles, the Shindogs, and the Beatles, along with his solo classics!
Our first set celebrates songwriter and producer Jerry Ragavoy (September 4, 1930 – July 13, 2011). He was a major influence on soul music in the 60s, and wrote or co-wrote most of Janis Joplin’s hits. For your enjoyment, the music of Jerry Ragavoy!
Here’s a live performance of the most famous version of this song, released in 1964! "Time's On My Side"
Before the Stones, we had Kai Winding’s 1963 version! “Time’s On My Side,” and also pre-Stones, Irma Thomas released this version. “Time’s On My Side”
Jerry also wrote a bunch of hits for our next performer!
Live in Germany in 1968, this is a great video! “Piece of My Heart”
Erma Franklin released it in 1967, pre-Janis. Here’s a great live performance by Erma of “Piece of My Heart”
He also co-wrote these which Janis made big! “Try (Just a little bit harder)” and this gem, performed 3 months before she died. “Cry Baby”
A year before Janis released her version in 1969, Lorraine Ellison released this in 1968 “Try (Just a little bit harder),” and going back to the Summer of '63, Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters had a hit with "Cry Baby"
Janis also did Jerry’s “Stay With Me” and as usual, before Janis, Lorraine Ellison also hit big In 1966 with “Stay With Me.” And yes, the tune went into the stratosphere with Bette’s version from The Rose of “Stay With Me”
For our closer, we have a tune he co-wrote with Miriam Makeba which she took straight to the top! Here she is live in 1967 on The Ed Sullivan Show bopping out “Pata Pata”
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Our next short set celebrates the production work of legendary producer and songwriter George “Shadow” Morton (September 3, 1941 – February 14, 2013). His story is the stuff of legend, as he literally walked into the Brill Building, took a challenge from Jeff Barry, and went out to a Long Island beach with a recorder, and built his first hit with the sound of seagulls!
Here's the classic version which hit the airwaves in 1964 and made an overnight sensation of the great Mary Weiss! "Remember (Walkin' In The Sand)." (It is said that Shadow Morton’s original version was over 6 minutes, and the sound of the Long Island sea gulls was actually recorded at the sea!)
He also wrote and produced these other hits for the Shangri-Las!
Here's an example of television from another era, with Steve Allen hosting the group on I’ve Got A Secret and Robert Goulet mugging for the cameras on a motorcycle! "Leader of the Pack."
Here's a live audio performance of "Leader of the Pack" from 1964.
From Shindig in 1965, enjoy a classic live video of all four Shangri-Las doing "Give Him A Great Big Kiss." Fantastic! And here's a short version of "Give Him A Great Big Kiss" from Shindig in 1965.
He also wrote and produced these for the Shangri-Las. "I Can Never Go Home Anymore," "Past, Present and Future" and "Sophisticated Boom Boom"
He produced this monster hit for Jamis Ian, and gave her the title! “Society’s Child”
Shadow also produced the first three albums by Vanilla Fudge, all of them classics in unique ways!
Vanilla Fudge (As this clip leaves off their huge smash hit, here’s ”You Keep Me Hanging On”)
He produced the New York Dolls second album Too Much Too Soon, and the Dolls’ guitarist later hit huge with his version of "Give Him a Great Big Kiss." (Since the album leaves off this song, here’s ”Babylon”)
We’ll close Shadow’s set with something he produced as a result of a trick in the studio. For your enjoyment, THE song which was played ten thousand times and produced 100,000 similar drum solos! “In A Gadda Da Vida”
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Our last set features the magic keyboards of Billy Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006). He was an A-list keyboard player who worked with the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, and other greats. He was said to be a joyous musician who brought peace to the Beatles’ sessions, even when they were melting down. He played keyboards on the Stones’ albums Sticky Fingers, Exile on Main St., Goats Head Soup, It's Only Rock 'n Roll and Black and Blue, and was their main touring keyboardist from 1973-1977. For your enjoyment, Billy Preston!
From The Midnight Special in 1973, complete with his magnificent ‘fro, here’s Billy groovin’ high on his hit “Will It Go Round in Circles”
From Musik Laden in early 1975, a great video of “Nothin’ From Nothin’”
Also from 1975 on The Midnight Express, “Nothin’ From Nothin’”
Here’s an audio of a live show Billy played in 1974 with George on guitar! “Nothin’ From Nothin’”
From 1971, the studio version of "Outa-Space"
From 1973, the studio version of "Space Race"
In 1979 he teamed up with Syreeta to give us this beautiful gem! "With You I'm Born Again"
Going back in the wayback machine to 1957 on Nat King Coles’ television show, Billy’s 11 and playing a duet with Nat grooving on ”Blueberry Hill”
Movin’ up a few years, in 1963, he played organ on Sam Cooke’s album Night Beat
Billy made an appearance on Shindig! back in September 1965 with the McCoys, the Everly Brothers, the Rolling Stones, the Byrds, and others of the day! The Everlys begin the show with “Love is Strange,” followed by the Byrds doing “Feel A Whole Lot Better.” Billy’s third and dancing up a storm a la James Brown performing “Short Fat Fanny” (The Byrds come back and do “The Bells of Rhymney” at 14 minutes, the McCoys come in at 16:20 and do “Sloopy Hang On,” and the Stones come in at 21:50 and do “Satisfaction.”)
Billy on Shindig! again, cranking out a minute and a half of "Satisfaction"
From 1967, Billy and Ray Charles perform ”Agent Double O Soul”
One of his most famous contributions is his piano work on the Let It Be sessions, including “Get Back” and though we don’t see him in the video of the rooftop concert of “Get Back” it’s still his piano! You can see him in this clip from the rooftop video of "I've Got a Feeling."
On the Let It Be album, he did electric piano on "Dig a Pony", "I've Got a Feeling", "One After 909" "The Long and Winding Road" and Hammond organ on "Dig It" and "Let It Be."
He also played organ on these two gems from Abbey Road! “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” and “Something”
From 1970's John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band, Billy on grand piano for "God"
He played keyboards on All Things Must Pass, including “My Sweet Lord,” “Wah Wah,” “Isn’t It A Pity,” “If Not For You,” “Behind That Locked Door,” “The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll),” and “All Things Must Pass.” Because they were so tight, in 1969 George Harrison produced Billy’s album “That’s the Way God Planned It” and he performed that title song at The Concert for Bangladesh. Here’s the live performance of “That’s the Way God Planned It”
In the 2002 Concert for George, Billy sang this classic! “My Sweet Lord”
We’ll close with a tune he wrote which was a top 10 hit for Joe Cocker. Here’s the awesome “You Are So Beautiful” which we’ll follow with a live performance by Billy in Germany of “You Are So Beautiful”
Our encore is a rare treat! Billy's 12 in this 1958 pilot for a game show featuring piano playing prodigies aged 9-14 who seriously cook! He gets to do "Route 66" on organ beginning 18:25. Billy Preston was a genius. Chopsticks - A Children's Music Game Show Featuring Billy Preston and June Christy
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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