"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. Flintstone House - Exploring Montgomery "Billsaid, 'Well, if anybody makes any money out of it, it's going to be me.' I believe that city has a particular significance to you. I told Jimbo we should all come in with walkers, laughed Beavers. Big Bam Fall Spectacular Concert History - Concert Archives Their big prize was three VOX . They didn't come to hear me; they came to hear the Rolling Stones.'". It was great! I said, 'Cyril, what do you think we ought to do?' Back then, thats what music was about, remembers Bobby Dupree, 63, drummer with The Rockin Gibraltars, a popular Montgomery-based group in the 60s. ", 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. He recalls the popular hangouts for older teens and the legendary "Big Bam Shows" of the period. Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis were on the bill, said Whitwam of their first performance at Garrett Coliseum. That was a lot of money. He and his wife live north of Prattville in a 1930s shack, have three grown children and are expecting their first grandchild. 6 places sorted by traveler favorites Clear all filters 1. These are just a few of the acts presentedby the Brennans during the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. FACIAL. "I felt that I was lucky to be able to have the kind of job I had," Brennan says. 2. But theres not a whole lot of money because theres no place for them to play. Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tommy, I'm in Montgomery, Alabama. Oxford American | He Made You Look into the Abyss and Like It Welcome to my Nightmare in Huntsville Von Braun 1975 and KISS in 1976 at Von Braun. "Little Feat at Boutwell mid 70s. 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.". ), "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.'". Go to the Archives We played a lot of soul music, the Beatles, the Stones, he said. "This was a daytime concert that seemed like a war zone with fireworks flying everywhere. You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if you publish it online or in print . Yet. Their first gig was at the Wetumpka Recreation Center where admission was $1. Garrett Coliseum Montgomery Concert Setlists City Montgomery, AL, United States Add Montgomery venue Address 1555 Federal Drive Montgomery, AL 36107 USA Opened 1963 Web Official Website Garrett Coliseum on Wikipedia Info Located at he Alabama Agricultural Center. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. It wasnt concerts where you played and 500 people sat down and listened to you. My personal favorite concert of all times was Billy Joel at the BJCC Concert Hall. 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. Local garage bands (they practiced in their parents garages or living rooms) were found in almost every town in the United States in the mid-to late 60s, and the Montgomery area was no exception. The bands would come in cars -- just plain old cars -- and they'd get their guitars out and walk past you. The Rockin' Rebellions won top honors - beating out 67 other bands from throughout Alabama. They have reformed several times with different members, playing for Lee High School reunions. big bam shows montgomery, alabama WBAM ~ Trax & Grooves - Blogger The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. If you were a teenager in south-central Alabama in the 1960s, chances are you danced the jerk, flirted with that cute boy, or made out in the corner of the high school gym to the music of a live band of local erstwhile musicians. Famous quotes containing the words historical and/or videos: Thats not to say Montgomery area favorite bands cant be seen any more. WBAM-FM - History - Former Programming and Personalities The bands that performed were: The Beach Boys / lou christie / Ian Whitcomb / The Happenings / the hollies / peter and gordon. And so he gave them -- the only show in the whole country that did this -- we gave them a flat $50,000, which was pretty good in those days. blues show montgomery, al 2021 | Future Property Exhibiitons "It didn't matter. Search the Largest Online Newspaper Archive. She came back a few minutes later and absolutely blasted a massive bongo solo. "We gave everybody who came a free rain parka. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Bama Country 98.9 - WBAM - Montgomery's Most Country If it's all right with him, it's all right with me. The audience was huge, sold out, 10,000 or more. The Brennan familysold itsstake in AM radio a few years later,and hemoved on to WRKK-FM, an album-rock station known as K-99. George Howell, who as George the D.J. co-hosted Hubcap Classics, was a big fan of the BAM shows beginning in the 9th grade. Brennan also remembers that Starr requested reinforcements to the stage area near his drum kit, because strong gusts lingered after the hurricane. "My brother, he was always a little bit of a gambler," Brennan says. During a recent show some ladies, obviously a few years older than him, recognized Grier from the early Gibraltar days. J. Frank Wilson, and The Webs. For an 18-year-old to take home a pillowsack full of dollars, that was quite a heady time.. . WBAM Big Bam Shows 7,142 views Nov 21, 2010 One of the big hit singers of the 60's and 70's working on a bit with me for a TV show..a little behind the scenes..Bobby is involved with art. "Put You Down" was written by lead guitarist Max Kendrick and vocalist Rich Gainer. Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. Members: Original members John Key, David Headley and Bob Corley plus David Langford, Mike Mobley, Larry Hughes, Bobby Johnson and Rick Roper. Now sales manager for a Dothan radio station, Moody fondly remembers working as a teenager at a 1959 WBAM concert featuring singer Connie Francis. Add the extra costs associated with security guards and insurance, and hiring bands is not a profitable option for many club owners. Joni Mitchell at Tuscaloosa 1975 would be third," said jarobertson. I was blown away. Many regulars from the Kove days brought their grown children and will likely do so again. Rock 'n' roll had just started, and you were right in the middle of it.". Jerry Lee Lewis, the Brennans said. "And that made a big difference, because people didn't have the opportunity to turn on the TV set and see these artists, after they'd been buying their records. Patsy Cline Performs Her Final Show Country Music Memories; Most Wanted Music: 2023's Country and Americana Album Releases; Follow Us. The band also played Birmingham in May 1977, according to this story by Madison Underwood. Its amazing the life we got to live.. They had the Stones in about 1963-64, with Brian Jones before he died. They actually were already signed to join, when Peace Concerts booked the January 31, 1975 show. Roy Orbis. Clapton! 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. WBAM was a powerhouse at 50,000 watts, covering much of Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.From its earliest days, WBAM put on concerts for the Montgomery area. It was everything. The only multiple-act show in the country similar to what the Brennans offered were those produced by Dick Clark. Steve Lander, who originally booked Harvest at the Kove in 1975, has offered the Blue Iguana free for the night. ", "This is so subjective and there are way too many to pick from. From what we can tell, she appeared there in 1970, but the story mentions Dec. 3, 1970, as the date of her show. It gave them a voice. Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park 52 Theaters Parks By Meowy Go to the Archives Herman's Hermits in the studio, Barry Whitwam on drums. Hal Hodgens of WVOK is second from left. Big Bam Show Montgomery, Al 1960s F.U.N. | Views, Montgomery, Pandora Brennan, now 86, introduced the Beatles at the Gator Bowlin Jacksonville, Fla., when the Fab Four played there on Sept. 11, 1964. The Alabama band was the organizer and centerpiece, raising money for charity. Date:Sun, 5 Jun 2005 09:12:45 -0400 I'll tell you a story about that WBAM show in Montgomery. recent post listing 31 of the greatest shows, according to this story by Madison Underwood, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. "It was rewarding, because people seemed to respond to some of the things I was doing. Id never seen anybody get an audience so excited, Dan Brennan remembered. He wants to go on late in the show.' 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. WVOK is now all-sports. Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys were the headliners that evening, and the billincluded Kitty Wells, Johnnie and Jack, Fred Wamble, Jack Turner and Buddy Hawk. Dan'sbrother, Cyril Brennan, who lived in Montgomery, held several titles during his tenure at WBAM: chief engineer, station manager and program director among them. Its effortless., Even after all these years, agreed Jones. I don't even think it was a sell out. He never collectedconcertposters, handbills orother pieces of memorabilia. The Big BAM Shows. . ", From Shapeshiftinhmojo: "Jimi Hendrix played Alabama twice in both Tuscaloosa and Auburn in 1968 or 69. Reactions to these picks -- made by entertainment reporters Matt Wake, Lawrence Specker and Mary Colurso -- ranged from praise to anger, support to dismay. From kwe: "The best I've seen are all of the Big Bam shows during the '60s in Montgomery, Garrett Coliseum; Eagles, 1977 in Mobile: Fleetwood Mac, 1977 in Bham CC; Atlanta Rhythm Section, 1978 in Troy Sartain; Heart/America, 1985 in Montgomery CC; Stevie Ray Vaughn/Joe Cocker, 1986 in Bham Oak Mtn; Rolling Stones, 1989 in Bham Legion Field; John Fogerty/Willie Nelson, 2006 in Bham Oak Mtn; Chicago, 2011 in Mtgy MPAC. ", From dassani: "I was there Could not have been better! "We're big on memories," Brennan says. Signature songs include Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison), Cryin (Roy Orbison). Otherwise . 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. Montgomery, AL | Data USA Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. WBAM-FM - Wikipedia to see more entries, Posted on June 1, 2011 by bob in Features. He founded his own company, Brennan Video Productions, in 1982and he continues to work there, transferring VHS tapes, old films and other retro footage to DVDs. I said, 'Well, this is Roy's show. In fact, it's safe to say that music shows producedby the Brennans, focusing on rock 'n' roll, Top 40 pop and country, defined the concert experience for an entire generation of fans in those cities. Mountain 1971," said Billy Bromberg. Whitwam, now in his 47th year playing music, is pleased with the makeup of their current audiences. We stayed at the same hotel as them. "Times have changed so," said a wistful Peek, the Shower of Stars devotee. 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. Keith Richards was almost electrocuted when his guitar grounded on a mic. The Louvin Brothers. Via a longstanding partnership with the Benns family, the Brennans also extended theirreach to Chattanooga, the home of WFLI-AM. 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. Show Hide article text (OCR) Prattville, Alabama 36066 (334) 358-9460 View Weekly Ad Hours Store Services Full Furniture with Mattresses Furniture Leasing Furniture Delivery Milk, Eggs & Grocery Featured Be a Backyard Bigionaire! He remembers the Kove days with Harvest/Harmony fondly, not only for the bands music but the people who came to see them. One big favorite, however, appears to be a '70s date at Legion Field. As Brennan recalls it, the Beach Boys were paid $7,500 for their performance, and the Rolling Stones received $5,000. 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!' Tommy James & Ed Sullivan. They agreed to do it, but they were on one end of it, and the Beach Boys were on the other end of it. From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. For Alabama radio pioneer, life was a Shower of Stars 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. 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 following year 13 acts played in WVOKs Shower of Stars show at Legion Field in Birmingham. Tickets to these shows were typically $3 to $4. But from the . I only have these pictures of all the concerts we attended from the early 1960's to late 1960's. This one in 1969, was probably the last one I attended. snapchat chat bitmoji peeking. I just went to the Coliseum for the music. A buddy and I went down hoping for a miracle and some guy offered us two tickets for $10 bucks each which we gladly paid. WVOK Shower Of Stars-Advertisements 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. "People were going crazy, and you couldn't hear anything because the girls were screaming so loud," Bartoletti says. Hello? "Bill" Brennan, Billy Benns (Jr.) and Mrs. Luella B. Aldridge. There was always so much excitement surrounding the shows, Knapp said. 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). 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. The Lovin' Spoonful. Of all the concerts I've been to in my lifetime, this one was the most memorable. By 1972 the heyday of the big shows had passed. 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. zhonb.zulukazahn.best From Brian Willis: "Any of Alabama's June Jams. Tommy James Interview: Singer Discusses His Autobiography 'Me, the Mob At the time, Sonny was interested Cher's friend, not her. "I don't have any regrets," hesays. 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. Hendrix only played a limited number of concerts before he died and the one in Tuscaloosa blew the top off Memorial Coliseum. Shower of Stars audiences were accustomed to seeing a mix of rock, pop and country acts on stage, and the lineup for every show had a pecking order. The other name band on the show was the Allman Brothers, they had just released their first album. DMX. He also helped to choose and line up some of the concert talent. ", Several readers mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd as a given, pointing to various concerts throughout the state. April 8, 1967: State Coliseum, Montgomery, AL with Electric Prunes, Buckinghams, Lou Christie, Brian Hyland and The Jokers, Tommy James and The Shondells, Royal Guardsmen, The Blues Magoos, The Casinos and others "WBAM presents Big Bam All-Star Spring Show" April 14, 1967: University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA with Freudian Slip Clayton, Hayward and Gradney. Edgar Winter Group with the Frankenstein tour," said Rick Allen. "There was a little one, and a big one, and we didn't know which was which," Brennan says. The Fabulous Shades, 1965. ", "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. Yet there was also a gentler side of the city that. Dan Brennan at the mic introducing the Beatles at their Gator Bowl appearance in Jacksonville, Florida. In 1964 the Brennans Jacksonville, Florida station, WAPE, hosted the Beatles in concert at the Gator Bowl (see sidebar below). "It was a promotional thing for us. "There was a little office backstage, and I remember seeing my father and uncles back there with a security guard," Bartoletti says. And the Shower of Stars concerts still linger in localmemory. Ask anyone who was there. Wish I had gotten one. Bob Brennen gave me these. Her very own father was on stage, standing closeto four of the most famous musicians in the world. This was the last concert they did before going back to LA and joining the band Fleetwood Mac. He was replaced by Johnny Townsend from Tuscaloosa, who was living with Duane and Gregg Allman in LA. December 24, 1958: Jerry Lee Lewis ; December 12, 1959: Fabian, The Fleetwoods, The Browns, Floyd Robinson and Bobby Lee Trammell Peter (Asher) and Gordon (Waller), Big BAM Show. ", From ghostreader: "Springsteen, mobile civic center theater may 1976. Hes been in a few movies, raced sports cars and been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. ", From bamamaam: "What about the lynyrd skynyrd concert at rickwood field in the '70's.? I was very happy with doing the work I did. 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. Procedimientos. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Uploaded 11 years ago Music 4; Photos 0; Interview . From 1963 to 73 the Big BAM shows and their counterpart in Birmingham, the Shower of Stars shows, presented four concerts a year. He didn't insist onphotos. All rights reserved (About Us). It was a clear channel station that covered over 90 counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and could be heard everywhere. And didn't ever explain to the people what had happened. What made those shows big was that Dan and Cyril would always pick the artists who were hot at the time, remembered Bill J. Moody, a former WBAM announcer and later host of Hubcap Classics. If a group had a hit record, we would have them. Published by at February 16, 2022. ", From Don Haley Benson: "Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA! The most popular group, both Brennan brothers agree, was Hermans Hermits (see sidebar below). Can you believe it? WMSP (740 AM, Sports Radio 740) is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. Music you could dance to Bobby Goldsboro was having a nice run of hits in the mid-'60s when suddenly, with the release of a song called "Honey" in 1968, he became a major star. People came from several states to see these shows. 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.). (The station's nickname, "the Mighty 690," referred to its spot on the AM dial.). BB King's penultimate show at the Alabama (sitting but still playing and not drifting into non sequitur land). They enjoy reminiscing about the stars, the shows and the fans who made it possible. Chuck Berry was awesome and the Stones in their early days were unbelievable.". Categories . Joplin died on Oct. 4, 1970. The Rogues recorded the 45 in February of 1966, for MBM Records, a Birmingham, Alabama label that goes back to the early '60s. Cyril's wife Louise would make us outfits for the Shower of Stars, and we'd have on these big bell bottoms. "We all felt very privileged," Bartoletti says. He would tear up the piano, Moody said, We couldnt find anyone to provide a piano, but he would put on a show. big bam shows montgomery, alabamasmart search field in safari. Big Bam Show - Newspapers.com When I got on stage the drum kit seat was way too high. Montgomery's home for country music favorites like Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert . The eruption from the crowd was louder than expected but the lights were so blinding, we could not see the audience. 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 . 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. It was the summer after my senior year, said Grier, who was joined by Keith Brewer on bass, Bobby Dupree on drums, Rusty Crumpton on guitar, Ronnie Monroe on trumpet and Ed Sanford on keyboards. Fans also rushed to nominate their favorites when asked for feedback. I play music half the time, the other half Im a toilet salesman, Jones said, which means hes in wholesale plumbing with Thompson Supply Co. (The Beatles' popularity in the U.S. exploded in 1964, and that year's tour was a watershed moment for the band.). Bottom (l-r), Ronnie Monroe, Bobby Dupree and Rusty Crumpton. ", 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. I'll never forget it. J Jackie Culpepper 662 followers More information WBAM Big Bam Shows Remembered Record Case Montgomery Growing Up 60s Old Things Teen Memories Remember Videos BOBBY GOLDSBORO. The Who played there. While Gator Bowl officials relented to a desegregated audience for the concert, two other venues Epstein had chosen were problematic. From Denniswingo: "Was there! 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. The Show That Almost Happened Pitiful (Otis Redding) sound so much better with real horns.. Elton John played three different years and drew over 40,000 total. December 3, 1955-As an extra Bonus..here's the advertisement for sister station WBAM, Montgomery, AL, when the very young Elvis Presley appeared. REENADED . Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. Members: Original members Larry Hoyle, Johnny Hassett and Ron Howard, plus Chris Seymour, Johnny Long, Jr. and Craig Young. 0. blues show montgomery, al 2021. For this little kid from Wetumpka, that was a big, big deal, he said. 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." Pin on The Old Record Case - pinterest.com The Animals. Brennan and his wife, Clara, who handled ticketing, estimate that one-third of the tickets for any Shower of Stars datewere purchased on faith, before the lineup was ever announced. In Brennan's view, that's a satisfying legacy. nellson nutraceutical revenue; arlington catholic basketball roster; jack cawood and suzy hunt; lawn vacuum for acorns rental. ", "Leo Kottke, Foster Auditorium, UA campus, about 1974," said 57939names. "What's that Frank Sinatra song? They played at YMCAs, American Legion halls, private parties, and dances all over south Alabama, Panama City, Savannah, and Greenville, Miss. 'I did it my way.'". blues show montgomery, al 2021. guildford school of acting auditions; gilroy google font alternative; cuisinart steamer insert; Blog Post Title February 26, 2018. He never asked forautographs. Both Shaw and Chapman have gone on to stardom as performers and songwriters.]. big bam shows montgomery, alabama - cirujanoplasticoleon.com "Ringo had a riser above the stage, and of course this is all outdoors, and the winds were blowing up to 70 miles an hour," Brennan says. [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. ", Jerry Tavin/Photo courtesy of Everett Collection, From mcarter3: "Uhh. Where's Jimi Hendrix's concert at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1969? Here, then, is a readers' choice list of 31 awesome concerts in Alabama, culled from email, Facebook and comments on the original post. 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. But in the minds of Alabama listeners, WVOK and WBAM ruled supreme, and the stations were closely linked by their concert series. The Rockin' Gibraltars, Montgomery, 1960s. "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. "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. 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. 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,