The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. ", "Leo Kottke, Foster Auditorium, UA campus, about 1974," said 57939names. nellson nutraceutical revenue; arlington catholic basketball roster; jack cawood and suzy hunt; lawn vacuum for acorns rental. 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 Louvin Brothers. Later acts included the Beach Boys, the Animals, the Dave Clark Five, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Tommy James and the Shondells and the perennial Montgomery favorite, Lou Christie. 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. Signature songs include Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison), Cryin (Roy Orbison). The detailed map shows the US state of Alabama with boundaries, the location of the state capital Montgomery, major cities and populated places, rivers and lakes, interstate highways, principal highways, railroads and major airports. Tommy James & the Shondells. 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. Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. The football stadiumposed a few extra challenges, Brennan says, from seating assignments to sound quality to weather preparation. 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. We came along at just the right time.. "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. This book takes a thought-provoking, even-handed look at those days from the perspective of a typical white kid growing up in Montgomery during that . FACIAL. We were all so nervous we wore dark sunglasses so nobody could see how scared we were, said Dupree. ", From StolibGeezer: "Zevon played the Alabama twice. 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. Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. Once solo and once with a band. Keith Richards was almost electrocuted when his guitar grounded on a mic. (His moniker on the air: Dan the Music Man. Im content where Im at, said Beavers, except I could lose about 80 pounds.. Members: Mitch Alton (original member), Gregg Pappas, Ham Wilson, Bill Marshall , Dwight Williams, Rick Byrd, Orville Cain, Carl Tesh. We had enough left over that, for a lot of our promotions after that, people would get free raincoats.". We'd get hamburgers and bring them back, with someone always holding our place. 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. From Billy Bromberg: "Led Zeppelin 1973, Coleman Coliseum." He showed up about five minutes before his show was to go on. I never chased the stars around to hotels or anything. But Brennandoes have many stories to share -- about preventing a fistfight between two starswho wanted theclosing spot in Birmingham, or example, or puzzling over two entertainerswho showed up in Montgomery, both claiming to be country singer Bobby Edwards. The WMSP studios are located on the 3rd floor of . From Sell it to the tourists: "I saw an amazing Harry Chapin show at the BJCC Concert Hall in around 1978? 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. We played all the way through college, says Long. pigella miraculous ladybug power. Which concerts will go down in history at Alabama music venues? By nature, talent and inclination, Brennanwasentirely suited to the family business; thousands of fans knew his voice and remembered his name. We'll have to ask him. It was elbow to elbow in there, remembered drummer Tommy Beavers. "His 'side' men was the entire Little Feat rhythm section. ", "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. "It was quite a thing.". Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). In one fell swoop, he was in hot demand. He remembers the Kove days with Harvest/Harmony fondly, not only for the bands music but the people who came to see them. 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. Flintstone House. 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). People came from several states to see these shows. He said, 'We're going to put both of them on.' (The station's nickname, "the Mighty 690," referred to its spot on the AM dial.). Inicio Quines somos? ", From cj75: "Grateful Dead, 5/17/77 in Tuscaloosa. They had the Stones in about 1963-64, with Brian Jones before he died. I've got to change clothes and everything.' Sweet Young Uns Nothing else necessary. Jerry Lee Lewis. [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. "Put You Down" was written by lead guitarist Max Kendrick and vocalist Rich Gainer. Tommy James, of Tommy James and the Shondells, describing his appearance at the WBAM and WVOK Summer Shows in 1966 (from Me, the Mob and the Music). ", From Cobb: "Buckingham Nicks in Morgan Auditorium Tuscaloosa Alabama Fall 1973.". Bob Brennen gave me these. I missed a bunch more, though!". I said, 'Well, you've got a choice here. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Some of the concerts took place in a single location -- most often, Jacksonville. 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. But it never happened. porsche cayman 987 bodykit; efficiencies for rent in riverview, fl. ", From Art Meripol: "U2's Zoo Tour at Legion was pretty fun from the floor.". THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE WBAM, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1967! That's how we put together our shows. Gobs of people have asked us when were going to do another reunion. Brennan, who understands the pull of nostalgia, says he's heard similar sentiments from many Birmingham folkswho came of age at the Shower of Stars. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. ", From Don Haley Benson: "Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA! ", From REDSEA: "While I was going to UNA back in 81, I worked on the Stage Crew on these concerts at UNA: Atlanta Rhythm Section (pictured), Jimmy Buffett, Tom Petty, Hotel, Crystal Gale. "We all felt very privileged," Bartoletti says. said donnna. Instead, the concert was held at the Gator Bowl under the auspices of the Brennans Jacksonville station WAPE, the Big APE. Reactions to these picks -- made by entertainment reporters Matt Wake, Lawrence Specker and Mary Colurso -- ranged from praise to anger, support to dismay. The audience was huge, sold out, 10,000 or more. REENADED . The early concert didn't begin until it was time for the second one, but it was worth the wait. The primary reason for the shows was to keep a personal relationship with the listeners, said Dan Brennan, 81, former general manager at WVOK. "In those days, you could go to a concert and there was only one back door. Neil Diamond. Jerry Lee Lewis hristie Lou C. Paul Revere & the Raiders . I tasted my first grits there my very first grit (laughs). "We gave everybody who came a free rain parka. "Marty Robbins came up to me, and he looked so sad," Brennan recalls. Formed: 1963, Troy. Anybody else remember seeing Joplin in Tuscaloosa? Think it was 1977," says Craigmo. If possible, the Brennans liked to present the same lineup of artists in all three cities over a single weekend, offering three shows in Birmingham for the Shower of Stars, one in Montgomery. ", All three Brennan brothers were ambitious businessmen who worked as a team. "To go to the concerts was huge. Id never seen anybody get an audience so excited, Dan Brennan remembered. But the moment was indelible for one of his daughters, Debbie Brennan Bartoletti. The Big BAM was WBAM, the 50,000-watt AM radio station owned by the Brennan family, whose other Alabama station was Birminghams WVOK. Can you believe it? Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. There was a little jealousy there.". In Montgomery, music was the Big Bam show put on at Garrett Coliseum by WBAM, and there I saw Neil Diamond, the Buckinghams, Tommy James and the Shondells. Many who danced the night away to the Rockin Gibraltars or who nursed a beer and smoked a cigarette listening to Harmony, recall those days with particular fondness and with nostalgia for a time that wont likely return. Peter (Asher) and Gordon (Waller), Big BAM Show. The Fabulous Shades, 1965. He doesnt keep up with Johnny Townsend, but remains friends with Rusty Crumpton and Ed Sanford, who is a successful artist in Los Angeles. By March 15, 2021 No Comments. She remembers her father's words with startling clarity, along with the thrill she experiencedwhile sitting in the front row. Hes been in a few movies, raced sports cars and been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. In 1964 the Brennans Jacksonville, Florida station, WAPE, hosted the Beatles in concert at the Gator Bowl (see sidebar below). Western European Countries, Italian Restaurants In Sandy Springs, Contemporary Music For All Coma, Ford Bronco Reservation Login, Panoplie Dragoeuf Dofus Touch, River Radio Station, Nice In Korean, How Did Tamerlan Tsarnaev Die, Den Of Behemoths Boss, Formed: 1972, Tuscaloosa. In the 1960's WVOK, in Birmingham Alabama, would have the top bands play at one huge concert. "(Listeners) would tell us what they liked and didn't like. Canned Heat. So many great City Stages performances: Chuck Berry (backed my some of Birmingham's finest), James Brown, Johnny Cash (right after Randy Newman! From:"Rodney Justo" To:"robert register" Subject:Re: HEY EL NIXO! Bob was producing a medical documentary in Alabama, and also was a promoter for Evil Kneival and Chill Wills. You can either do that, or you will not have a place to change. 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. Hank Williams was another frequent live on-air performer. Date:Sun, 5 Jun 2005 09:12:45 -0400 I'll tell you a story about that WBAM show in Montgomery. Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. But from the . Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. Saw them at the University of Alabama home coming in 1978 as well. ", Looking back on it, Brennan realizes that bringing the Beatles to the Gator Bowl was a milestone event -- one firmly enshrined in Beatles lore and noted by Ron Howard in his 2016 documentary, "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years." Oh, and some guy named David on slide. Beth Nielsen joined the group after Shaw left. We get young people, folks our age, and older folks, he said proudly. Shop Now They have reformed several times with different members, playing for Lee High School reunions. Lowell George in his prime," says Bingothatwuzagoody. They enjoy reminiscing about the stars, the shows and the fans who made it possible. "Little Feat at Boutwell mid 70s. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). I was there both times. Add the extra costs associated with security guards and insurance, and hiring bands is not a profitable option for many club owners. Although he admits to anoccasional pang of longing, looking back on his previouscareer, Brennan is far from retired. "Rickwood Field, late 70's. 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. Via a longstanding partnership with the Benns family, the Brennans also extended theirreach to Chattanooga, the home of WFLI-AM. The Lovin' Spoonful. I was very happy with doing the work I did. BB King's penultimate show at the Alabama (sitting but still playing and not drifting into non sequitur land). Cyril Brennan, who received a Top Program Director award from Billboard Magazine, is retired and lives in Pike Road. 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. Yet there was also a gentler side of the city that. JLL put on a hell of a show also. We were the opening act and it was the biggest crowd we had ever played before, nearly 30,000 people. It was the most important thing in our lives. Paul Revere & the Raiders. More on the Grateful Dead's 1995 shows in Birmingham, from AL.com's "Lost Stories" series. Of all the concerts I've been to in my lifetime, this one was the most memorable. His current band, The Soul Crackas, does many of the same soul hits the Rockin Gibraltar performed. The following year 13 acts played in WVOKs Shower of Stars show at Legion Field in Birmingham. 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. 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. Carl Perkins. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Wed go all over, even the Old Dutch in Panama City.. They would buy so many tickets in advance, we didn't have to worry about whether they were going to come or not.". 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. Despite her young age -- she was 7 that year -- Bartoletti felt another emotion at the Gator Bowl: extreme pride. . Other notable former personalities included Bill J. Moody, Paul Simpkins, Mark Robbins, Gene Hocutt and Joe Cook. Shop Patio & Garden, including exclusive patio furniture from brands like Broyhill. "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years. We always had the feeling, said Dan Brennan, that it was more than just a job., It was the golden era of rock and roll, said Moody. ", From GmanGent: "Alice Cooper Von Braun in 1974's Welcome to my Nightmare Tourone of the most successful tours financially up until that time. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. We would always find the artists who were very popular with our audience, and we would try to get them, and we usually were successful.". Neither Tommy Shaw nor Beth Nielsen Chapman will be on hand due to their schedules. Garrett Coliseum, in contrast, could hold 10,000+ for a single performance in Montgomery. The show is a spin-off from MTV 's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast appeared. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero f. The Other Side of Montgomery book. Both stations played Top 40 hits of the day, and the concerts were the Brennans gifts to a loyal radio audience. Go to the Archives 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.. Moody remembers the group mysteriously disappeared after one show and had to be retrieved to play their second gig (lead singer Peter Noone was known to enjoy a party.). He pulls this at every one of our shows. In 2020, the median property value in Montgomery, AL was $121,100, and the homeownership rate was 54.1%. Hes been a school principal and now sells wholesale art, although business has been suffering due to the economy. [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. The Rolling Stones. Brennanleft the radio business for good in 1982. Men. Dupree served with the Army in Vietnam, worked as an engineer in Muscle Shoals, and has been an electrical engineer for the Alabama Legislature for 27 years. The band has undergone several incarnations. The WMAQ slogan came from a contest where winners would have to answer the phone "WMAQ's gonna make me rich," so you had people using the phrase anytime. Music lovers would line up at each venue, some arriving hours in advance, then rush inside to secure their favorite general-admission seats. He recalls the popular hangouts for older teens and the legendary "Big Bam Shows" of the period. Brother Cyril Brennan, 84, was alternately chief engineer, manager, program director and music director at WBAM and also involved in lining up talent. As a result, Captain and Tennille declined ABC's offer to do a second season. Studio Phone Number: (334) 244-9898. Business Office/Studios 4101-A Wall Street Montgomery, AL 36106. "I'm so. If possible, the Brennans liked to present the same lineup of artists in all three cities over a single weekend, offering three shows in Birmingham for the Shower of Stars, one in Montgomery for the Big BAM and one in Jacksonville for the Big APE. ", From ghostreader: "Springsteen, mobile civic center theater may 1976. A story by Ben Flanagan of AL.com, looking back at concerts at the coliseum, also mentions Joplin. Find the answers to any question. Patsy Cline. The Fabulous Shades Tommy James & Ed Sullivan. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Uploaded 11 years ago Music 4; Photos 0; Interview . "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. It would be tough going back to ballrooms and small clubs after this. Ask anyone who was there. Thomas, joined by John Kay (solo after leaving Steppenwolf), the Grass Roots and others. WBAM Big Bam Shows Remembered 3,983 views Aug 25, 2013 A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. 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. 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. Categories . After the Beatles press conference, where the Fab Four were munching on potato chips, Diane Brennan, daughter of Cyril and Louise, grabbed the partially consumed shards in fear that her sister Donnie would eat them. And not just the concerts, but the whole experience building up to it. The last concert at Big Bam Fall Spectacular was on September 30, 1966. For fans, half the fun was trying for a glimpse of the stars at their hotel or coming to and from the coliseum. ", From Will-I: "Bruce Springsteen in Auburn in 1975. When Peter Noone left Hermans Hermits in 1971, Hermits drummer Barry Whitwam keep going, and today continues to lead his own Hermans Hermits band (as does Noone performing as Hermans Hermits starring Peter Noone). We made $100, remembers Grier. WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740. The Big BAM Shows. 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. They responded, swiftly and passionately, to a recent post listing 31 of the greatest shows at venues throughout the state. The Fab Four wouldnt play to segregated audiences, and at that time this was the case in Alabama. 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. The station's transmitter is located in the town of Grady, Alabama. By the time we got to the steps of the BJCC a guy had a shoebox full of tickets that he was trying to sell for a buck each. I've seen so many good shows in Birmingham over the years! 3. The most popular group, both Brennan brothers agree, was Hermans Hermits (see sidebar below).