I had to play the whole set standing up!. The Rogues of Montgomery, AL cut one great rock single, "Put You Down" b/w a version of "Stormy Monday Blues". When was the last concert at Big Bam Fall Spectacular? From Denniswingo: "April 1977 was Led Zeppelin.famous because it was so totally over promoted with the K-99 disc jockeys claiming $100 scalped tickets (it was $7.50 ticket price). The concertlater gained a secure foothold in Alabamamusic history -- fans here still ooh and aah about it -- but it wasn't a money-making proposition. by Lenore Vickrey 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. He remembers the Kove days with Harvest/Harmony fondly, not only for the bands music but the people who came to see them. As Brennan recalls it, the Beach Boys were paid $7,500 for their performance, and the Rolling Stones received $5,000. "Rolling Stones, October 5, 1989, Legion Field," said Emily A. He never collectedconcertposters, handbills orother pieces of memorabilia. "The level of excitement was unbelievable," Bartoletti says. ", From Art Meripol: "U2's Zoo Tour at Legion was pretty fun from the floor.". They responded, swiftly and passionately, to a recent post listing 31 of the greatest shows at venues throughout the state. ", From Jeremy Don McCollough: "Guns N' Roses played the Birmingham race course, it was a muddy mess. Johnny Cash. 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. In 2020, the median property value in Montgomery, AL was $121,100, and the homeownership rate was 54.1%. ", From Larry Gilbreath: "I know it's been a long time ago but not one single June Jam in Fort Payne on the list unbelievable." The Beach Boys. 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. former wcti reporters; winter village montreal; western new england university greek life; 1980 camaro z28 for sale in canada. . Brennan also remembers that Starr requested reinforcements to the stage area near his drum kit, because strong gusts lingered after the hurricane. And the Brennans knew how to put on a show.. The Beatles in Alabama? Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. Tickets cost $3 apiece. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. ", "This is so subjective and there are way too many to pick from. Its effortless., Even after all these years, agreed Jones. (The Beatles' popularity in the U.S. exploded in 1964, and that year's tour was a watershed moment for the band.). ", From Eric Pendergrass: "Grateful Dead BJCC April 4,5 1995.". They would buy so many tickets in advance, we didn't have to worry about whether they were going to come or not.". Memorial Coliseum, now known as Coleman Coliseum. The Young Rascals. ", From Don Haley Benson: "Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA! "To go to the concerts was huge. We were all so nervous we wore dark sunglasses so nobody could see how scared we were, said Dupree. Signature songs include Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison), Cryin (Roy Orbison). 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. He recalls the popular hangouts for older teens and the legendary "Big Bam Shows" of the period. Though theyve had other jobs over the years, neither Jones nor Beavers have stopped playing music. ", From Will-I: "Bruce Springsteen in Auburn in 1975. 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!' By March 15, 2021 No Comments. 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. The entire show was magic, beginning with The Stranger and of course included many of the unknown Joel early songs. The bands that performed were: The Beach Boys / lou christie / Ian Whitcomb / The Happenings / the hollies / peter and gordon. The chips were glued into Dianes scrap book between photos of the Beatles. 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. Canned Heat. December 24, 1958: Jerry Lee Lewis ; December 12, 1959: Fabian, The Fleetwoods, The Browns, Floyd Robinson and Bobby Lee Trammell Which concerts will go down in history at Alabama music venues? Sonny Grier is another longtime Montgomery band member who still plays music. "Lynyrd Skynyrd, after Montrose featuring Sammy Hagar July 4th, 1975 at Rickwood Field," said Bamabadger62. Music lovers would line up at each venue, some arriving hours in advance, then rush inside to secure their favorite general-admission seats. Thousands of Beatles fans were ready to twist and shout in the Southeast, and the Brennan clan had made it happen. We didn't make any money.". Big Bam Show. So many great City Stages performances: Chuck Berry (backed my some of Birmingham's finest), James Brown, Johnny Cash (right after Randy Newman! In the 1960's WVOK, in Birmingham Alabama, would have the top bands play at one huge concert. 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. Clapton! Can you believe it? Gate Band Via a longstanding partnership with the Benns family, the Brennans also extended theirreach to Chattanooga, the home of WFLI-AM. WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740. The Who. I said, 'Cyril, what do you think we ought to do?' The Temptations and The Supremes, The TCB Tour, Auburn University, 1972. Those two days in Alabama left a lasting impression on us because it was how we measured the rest of our gigs.. Bob Brennen gave me these. Readers shared fond memories of June Jam, the annual music festival that ran 1982-1997. The WMSP studios are located on the 3rd floor of . Competition was evident between the two bands, Brennan says, as the Beach Boys returned for their splashiest date at the Shower of Stars, and the Stones made theirBirmingham debut on their first U.S. tour. 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. According to Ben Flanagan's story for AL.com, the band also played in Tuscaloosa at Memorial Coliseum, now Coleman Coliseum. Big Bam Fall Spectacular has had 1 concert. The rock band played several times at the Shower of Stars and appeared at one of the last few shows in the concert series, in July 1972. 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. The most popular group, both Brennan brothers agree, was Hermans Hermits (see sidebar below). 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). Rinoplastia; Blefaroplastia Cyril Brennan, who received a Top Program Director award from Billboard Magazine, is retired and lives in Pike Road. The eruption from the crowd was louder than expected but the lights were so blinding, we could not see the audience. 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. at 3126 Jasmine Road, was built in the early 1960s by William J. "I think the story about Buckingham Nicks is pretty interesting. Alabama State Coliseum (1951-1963) Garrett Coliseum (1963-) Oct 5 2019 These are just a few of the acts presentedby the Brennans during the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. The Big Bam shows in Montgomery were on my list," said Jack Boles. "It was rewarding, because people seemed to respond to some of the things I was doing. The other name band on the show was the Allman Brothers, they had just released their first album. I told Jimbo we should all come in with walkers, laughed Beavers. 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. J Jackie Culpepper 662 followers More information WBAM Big Bam Shows Remembered Record Case Montgomery Growing Up 60s Old Things Teen Memories Remember Videos Search the Largest Online Newspaper Archive. Elvis Presley. For more, visit Rich's YouTube Channel . White guys playing soul music!, Most of the stuff we played was music you could easily dance to, said Dupree. ", "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. Lou Christie was huge in Montgomery. ", From GmanGent: "Alice Cooper Von Braun in 1974's Welcome to my Nightmare Tourone of the most successful tours financially up until that time. She came back a few minutes later and absolutely blasted a massive bongo solo. The bands would come in cars -- just plain old cars -- and they'd get their guitars out and walk past you. Id never seen anybody get an audience so excited, Dan Brennan remembered. Carl Perkins. In the 1960s and early 1970s, the station sponsored a series of pop/rock concerts known as "Big BAM Shows" featuring acts ranging from Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, and The Beach Boys to comedian Pat Paulsen. "Cyril's idea was, 'Tell them to sing, just a little bit, and make sure that we get the right one.' They didn't come to hear me; they came to hear the Rolling Stones.'". Brother Cyril Brennan, 84, was alternately chief engineer, manager, program director and music director at WBAM and also involved in lining up talent. By 1972 the heyday of the big shows had passed. Vocalist in Salem, Alabama 1,320 views on fandalism. ), "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.'". Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. Tickets to these shows were typically $3 to $4. 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. Moody also got to do his share of transporting stars, taking them to the Diplomat Inn, owned by Bill Brennan, older brother of Cyril and Dan and a partner in WBAM and WAPE. 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. Hes been in a few movies, raced sports cars and been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Dan Brennan recalls the reaction from performers. The wildest thing other than the Troggs rocking out to "Wild Thing" and whipping around long dirty hanks of British hair was Lou Christie. Dan Brennan at the mic introducing the Beatles at their Gator Bowl appearance in Jacksonville, Florida. The show is a spin-off from MTV 's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast appeared. It is amazing to think that was 41 years ago. ); Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Oak Arkansas, Rickwood Field (1975); Pink Floyd, Legion Field (1994); Peter Frampton and Robin Trower, Oak Mountain (1994); Rolling Stones, Legion Field (1994); Bruce Springsteen, BJCC, 2002; and, James Brown, Jubilee CityFest Montgomery (2003). Inicio Quines somos? WBAM-FM/98.9 ("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. ", The Birmingham News file photo/Philip Barr. HOW COME PAUL GODDARD PUSHES HIS GLASSES UP THE BRIDGE OF HIS NOSE? Their annual Big Bam shows, and Show of Stars were traveling medicine shows and featured Lou Christie, Roy Orbison, The Animals. Neither Tommy Shaw nor Beth Nielsen Chapman will be on hand due to their schedules. For this little kid from Wetumpka, that was a big, big deal, he said. We played a lot of soul music, the Beatles, the Stones, he said. "Excuse me---did I miss the ROLLING STONES STEEL WHEELS TOUR??????????????????" While Gator Bowl officials relented to a desegregated audience for the concert, two other venues Epstein had chosen were problematic. Notable TV and Radio personality Jimmy Carter (from Montgomery, Alabama) has assembled a few videos featuring some photos, jingles, and air checks of WBAM in its heyday. I said, 'Well, this is Roy's show. From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. Bottom (l-r), Ronnie Monroe, Bobby Dupree and Rusty Crumpton. I think we had at least 15,000-16,000 people there. FACIAL. In the spring of 1968, we played the Big Bam Spring show in Montgomery and were seen by a producer from Hollywood named Bob Hinkle. 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. (His moniker on the air: Dan the Music Man. "It was cold outside, show was to begin at 6 but began at 9; coeds from T-town waited for 2nd show which was to begin at 9 but began at about 2 next morning, had to get permission to stay in those days and freeze outside at Auburn University Coliseum. 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 . From 1963 to 73 the Big BAM shows and their counterpart in Birmingham, the Shower of Stars shows, presented four concerts a year. He said, 'We're going to put both of them on.' Although he admits to anoccasional pang of longing, looking back on his previouscareer, Brennan is far from retired. DMX. A memorable night that I won't ever forget. Chuck Berry was an intro-act, great show he put on. Cyril's wife Louise would make us outfits for the Shower of Stars, and we'd have on these big bell bottoms. One of its earliest Big BAM Shows featured Elvis Presley as he ascended to fame, on the same bill with Roy Acuff. Ask anyone who was there. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00. Brennan had many encounters with celebritiesover his three decades as a concert promoter, but says he never felt famous -- not even when he was widely regardedas a household name in Birmingham radio. The band's management initially asked for 85 percent of the ticket proceeds or $25,000, whichever was greater, Brennan says. All rights reserved (About Us). ", Brennan, headquartered in Birmingham, rode herd over the Shower of Stars and was the primary talent buyer for the concerts, along with his other duties at WVOK. As a result, Captain and Tennille declined ABC's offer to do a second season. 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). "My brother, he was always a little bit of a gambler," Brennan says. Only concert I have ever been to where they had tee shirts for the guitarist in the band along with the band's shirts. There was always so much excitement surrounding the shows, Knapp said. ", Also on his list: "Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Jesse Colin Young and The Youngbloods, Legion Field, sometime in the 70's. big bam shows montgomery, alabama. He and his wife live north of Prattville in a 1930s shack, have three grown children and are expecting their first grandchild. The mothership landed in the BJCC that night. (Photo courtesy of the Brennan family). 2. Anybody remember that one? 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. "This was a daytime concert that seemed like a war zone with fireworks flying everywhere. 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, (Photo courtesy of the Brennan family). "What's that Frank Sinatra song? Lindley. Mosley tribes Lyndel . They enjoy reminiscing about the stars, the shows and the fans who made it possible. BB King's penultimate show at the Alabama (sitting but still playing and not drifting into non sequitur land). Solid show during a year held in very high regard by a large number of Deadheads. We were considered the number one soul band in the south. The original investors in the company were William J. Beth Nielsen joined the group after Shaw left. THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE WBAM, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1967! Instead, the concert was held at the Gator Bowl under the auspices of the Brennans Jacksonville station WAPE, the Big APE. We made $100, remembers Grier. 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. It was great! "There was a little office backstage, and I remember seeing my father and uncles back there with a security guard," Bartoletti says. More on the Grateful Dead's 1995 shows in Birmingham, from AL.com's "Lost Stories" series. "Little Feat at Boutwell mid 70s. We try to introduce people to music maybe they werent aware of. Signature song includes Both Sides of the Road, about Perdido Bay, written by Ham Wilson. The Rockin' Rebellions won top honors - beating out 67 other bands from throughout Alabama. Garrett Coliseum, in contrast, could hold 10,000+ for a single performance in Montgomery. Big BAM shows, Montgomery Several readers made fond mention of multi-act shows presented by WBAM-AM, a sister station to Birmingham's WVOK-AM, during the 1960s and early '70s. 100 feet later someone offered us tickets at face value. 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. Best Review Site for Digital Cameras. We got started because of the Beatles, said Jimbo Jones, longtime singer and guitarist with Harmony, one of the most popular bands to come out of Montgomery that played in the mid to late 70s at Keglers Kove, the lounge at Bama Lanes. Tickets were priced at$1.50-$5.50 per show, Brennan says, and artists' fees usually ran about $300-$7,500 per act. The author recalls with fondness the casual neighborliness that existed within his community, the freedom that children enjoyed to roam and play, and the slower pace of life that prevailed. With the help of Bill Moody and Cyril Brennan at WBAM, their music was played on the 100,000-watt radio station, helping the group built a following as an R&B band. 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. Her very own father was on stage, standing closeto four of the most famous musicians in the world. A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. Anotherbrother, Bill Brennan, was the undisputed chief of the Jacksonville station, and had houses in Montgomery and Jacksonville. 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. (It was free.) ", From Shapeshiftinhmojo: "Jimi Hendrix played Alabama twice in both Tuscaloosa and Auburn in 1968 or 69. Roy Orbison. ", 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 were waiting at the Holiday Inn, in the bar at the hotel having a beer. The station's transmitter is located in the town of Grady, Alabama. At this point, Mick Jagger and his pals were poised to release"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," their first international smash. Jerry Lee Lewis. And didn't ever explain to the people what had happened. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The audience was huge, sold out, 10,000 or more. Toni loved doing the show, but Daryl, who never enjoyed being on camera, did not. Gobs of people have asked us when were going to do another reunion. Blue arcs of electricity knocked him unconscious and the show ended 15 minutes early. The venue? YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Studio Phone Number: (334) 244-9898. Business Office/Studios 4101-A Wall Street Montgomery, AL 36106. Once solo and once with a band. He plays locally at Ruddles, Coaches Corner in Wetumpka, Young Barn Oyster Pub, and has recorded a CD. Back then, thats what music was about, remembers Bobby Dupree, 63, drummer with The Rockin Gibraltars, a popular Montgomery-based group in the 60s. WMSP (740 AM, Sports Radio 740) is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. I don't even think it was a sell out. One was the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, which was to host a concert on September 10 th. The stage was an immense rectangle glutted with scaffolding and hundreds of klieg lights and a sound system on a board that looked like the skyline of New York at night. At least 25 people tried to jump the stage during the concert and were knocked backward into the crowd by gigantic stage bouncers! Yet there was also a gentler side of the city that is rarely revealed within the pages of history texts. "Radio played the song every twenty minutes. We came along at just the right time.. The Captain and Tennille Show became a network hit and featured guest stars such as John Travolta, Don Knotts, The Pointer Sisters, and Red Foxx. But he's sure the introduction was brief, wasting no time as Beatlemania raged. I can sing as good or better now than I did then, said Grier. Hank Williams was another frequent live on-air performer. 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 Many of the artists told me these were the biggest shows theyd ever done.. Things changed a little bit after that. . Disbanded in 66, reunited 76, returned to active performance 1991. Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. Springsteen played the 'short end' of the the Beard-Eaves with the curtain up. ", Several readers mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd as a given, pointing to various concerts throughout the state. ", From Ken Cole: "I was at Jerry Lee Lewis in Boutwell in the mid '60s when I was a kid. I remember some of them telling us they came to every show that whole year.". We'll have to ask him. "We'd camp out at the door, on the steps and wait. Classics such as Midnight Hour, (Wilson Pickett), Knock on Wood (Eddie Floyd), and Mr. "Bill" Brennan, Billy Benns (Jr.) and Mrs. Luella B. Aldridge. 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. 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. We only heard them. "In those days, you could go to a concert and there was only one back door. "Times have changed so," said a wistful Peek, the Shower of Stars devotee. "(Listeners) would tell us what they liked and didn't like. More like this Cheerleading Pictures Cheerleading Uniforms Girls Knee Socks Saddle Shoes Long Socks Roller Derby Time Capsule Cheer Up Female Athletes Cheerleaders 1960-70s- Loving the knee socks, saddle shoes, and huge pom poms! "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. And the Shower of Stars concerts still linger in localmemory. I believe that city has a particular significance to you.