Fri 5/12/2006 ~ Radio, the Coral Sitar & Vinnie Bell

The other day I was driving around the North Hills (a strange and foreign land to we South Hills-ers) and I was listening to Sirius satellite radio (of course) and I heard "Games People Play" by Joe South. I thought to myself, "It's cool to hear the ol' Danelectro Coral Sitar on a record..." The next song was "Cry Like A Baby" by The Boxtops (lead singer: Alex Chilton, who later formed Big Star. He's still around today...) I've never cared for "Cry Like A Baby"... and I thought to myself, "I've never cared for this song, but it's good to hear the ol' Danelectro Coral Sitar on a record..." Then the NEXT song was "Don't Come Around Here No More" by Tom Petty, and I thought to myself, "I always... wait a minute!... that's three songs in a row featuring the ol' Danelectro Coral Sitar!!... THAT can't be a coincidence!!!" (At that point I had to stop talking to myself...`cause it hurts to have too many exclamation points in your head at one time...)

Here's a catalog picture of a Danelectro Coral Sitar.

Here's a picture of John, the new guy, with one.

Anyhow, the satellite radio DJ never mentioned the common thread, which I thought added to its coolness. The whole experience brightened up my North Hills drive.

That reminded me of a conversation I had last month with a famous DJ friend of mine. He was talking about the early days of FM radio. It's hard to imagine now, but many many many many many years ago, music was brought to us via mono AM radio only. Then, in the early 1970s, FM frequencies became commercially viable, and a new breed of young, hip DJs brought stereo and free-form programming to our young impressionable ears. This DJ friend of mine said he'd do entire four hour shows based on common threads, like "space" or "time" or "rock bands singing about being in a rock band..." (Obviously, this was long before Clear Channel and their 20-song playlists. Back then DJs could actually pick the songs they wanted to play!)

That conversation reminded me of a road trip to a guitar show five years ago. We were cruising in the van near Nowheresville, Kentucky, right outside of Cantgettherefromhere, and I picked up a small local radio station. The first song I heard was "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" by Bruce Springsteen. Next was "Cloud Nine" by The Temptations. I was impressed with the variety so far. Then the DJ played The Beatles' "Eight Days A Week." I started to put it all together! Next: Johnny Rivers, "Seventh Son." Now I was really impressed!! You might be able to guess the next few: "Six Days On The Road" (which mentions Pittsburgh, by the way), "Five O'Clock World" (which was recorded in Pittsburgh, by the way again)... I can't quite remember the "four" song... I believe the last three were "Three Times A Lady" (Commodores), "Two Of Us" (Beatles) and "One (Is The Loneliest Number)" (Three Dog Night.) That's some fun radio!!!

This email isn't really leading up to anything... I guess I'm just saying that music makes me happy. We should make a point to add more music to our lives. Listen to more music. Play more music.

See you soon,
Carl

PS: Remember last email when I talked about the upcoming Martin Guitar Seminar at the Rex Theater, also featuring Mac Martin and The Dixie Travelers? And I told you to mark it on your calendars? Well, get out your pencil and scratch out the date I mentioned and move it to the following day. Due to a scheduling error at the Rex, the seminar and show will now be on THURSDAY, JUNE 15th! I'll remind you again later. It will be a fun, and free, night!

PPS: The Danelectro Coral Sitar was invented by a session guitarist named Vinnie Bell. He is not only a nice and funny guy (that's him in the catalog picture), he's also one of those behind-the-scenes guys that you've never heard of, but you have certainly heard! In addition to dozens and dozens of movie soundtracks, TV show themes, and commercials, he's played guitar on an amazing number of hit records. Here are a few:

GOOD MORNING STARSHINE - Oliver

BLUE ON BLUE - Bobby Vinton

DOUBLE RAINBOW - Antonio Carlos Jobim

THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN -The Brooklyn Bridge

BABY I LOVE YOU - Andy Kim

HELLO DOLLY- Louis Armstrong

CHAPEL OF LOVE - The Dixie Cups

REMEMBER (WALKIN' IN THE SAND) - The Shangri-Las

YOU DON'T OWN ME - Lesley Gore

A SUMMER SONG - Chad & Jeremy

WALK ON BY - Dionne Warwick

GOIN' OUT OF MY HEAD - Little Anthony & The Imperials

WE'LL SING IN THE SUNSHINE - Gale Garnett

A LOVER'S CONCERTO - The Toys

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE - Jackie DeShannon

BRAND NEW KEY - Melanie

CANDY MAN - Sammy Davis Jr.

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW - Johnny Nash

SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS - John Denver

REUNITED - Peaches & Herb

MISTER BASSMAN - Johnny Cymbal

BABY I'M YOURS - Barbara Lewis

THE BALLAD OF THE GREEN BERETS - Sgt. Barry Sadler

YOUNGER GIRL - The Critters

I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN - The Four Seasons

YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE SO NICE - The Lovin' Spoonful

IT MUST BE HIM - Vikki Carr

FUNKY BROADWAY - Wilson Pickett

98.6 - Keith

HONEY - Bobby Goldsboro

I LOVE HOW YOU LOVE ME - Bobby Vinton

CANDIDA - Tony Orlando & Dawn

LAY DOWN (CANDLES IN THE RAIN) - Melanie

KNOCK THREE TIMES - Tony Orlando & Dawn

DAYDREAM - The Lovin' Spoonful

MY GUY - Mary Wells

BOTH SIDES NOW - Judy Collins

WALK AWAY RENEE - Left Banke

SUNNY - Bobby Hebb

IF I WERE A CARPENTER - Bobby Darin

HURRICANE - Bob Dylan

THIS DIAMOND RING - Gary Lewis

SUGAR, SUGAR - The Archies

A TOWN WITHOUT PITY - Gene Pitney

YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE - Debby Boone

ME AND YOU AND A DOG NAMED BOO - Lobo

ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK A HEART - Gene Pitney

DA DOO RON RON - The Crystals

RUNAWAY - Del Shannon

LIGHTNIN' STRIKES AGAIN - Lou Christie

HANG ON SLOOPY - The McCoys

SOLDIER BOY - The Shirelles

SUNDAY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME - Spanky & Our Gang

LAZY DAY- Spanky & Our Gang

SOCIETY'S CHILD - Janis Ian

PALISADES PARK - Freddy Cannon

THIS MAGIC MOMENT - Jay & The Americans

TELL HIM - The Exciters

CARA MIA - Jay & The Americans

ONE FINE DAY - The Chiffons

COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER - Jay & The Americans

JEAN - Oliver

HAIR - The Cowsills

MOCKINGBIRD - Charlie & Inez Fox

I'M GONNA MAKE YOU MINE - Lou Christie

EVE OF DESTRUCTION - Barry McGuire

CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU - The Four Seasons

ABRAHAM, MARTIN AND JOHN - Dion

HAPPY TOGETHER - The Turtles

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MAGIC - The Lovin' Spoonful

SUMMER IN THE CITY - The Lovin' Spoonful

THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE - Simon and Garfunkle

MIDNIGHT COWBOY - Ferrante and Teicher

I WILL FOLLOW HIM - Little Peggy March

THEME FROM "TWIN PEAKS" - Angelo Badalamenti

LEADER OF THE PACK - The Shangri-Las

GREEN TAMBOURINE - The Lemon Pipers

LET'S HANG ON - The Four Seasons

E.V.A. - Jean Jacques Perrey

OUR DAY WILL COME - Ruby and the Romantics

THE RAIN, THE PARK AND OTHER THINGS - The Cowsills

ITSY BITSY TEENY WEENY YELLOW POLKA DOT BIKINI - Brian Hyland

BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY - The Four Seasons

BAND OF GOLD - Freda Payne

WALK LIKE A MAN - The Four Seasons

MR. DIEINGLY SAD - The Critters

MY BOYFRIEND'S BACK - The Angels

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Frank Sinatra

DAWN - The Four Seasons

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE - Perry Como

RAG DOLL - The Four Seasons

"1-2-3" - Len Barry

CONCRETE AND CLAY - Eddie Rambeau

NAVY BLUE - Diane Renay

ROMAN GUITAR - Lou Monte

WALKIN' IN THE RAIN - Jay and The Americans

TRACY - The Cufflinks

SHE'S A HEARTBREAKER - Gene Pitney

SUMMER OF '42 - Peter Nero

SHE CRIED - Lou Christie

THE NAME GAME - Shirley Ellis

HATS OFF TO LARRY - Del Shannon