Hell Just Froze Over...

I was at yesterday's NFC Championship Game when the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 32-25. As a lifelong Packers fan, I adopted the Cards as my second team because I live in The Grand Canyon State.

As I was driving away from University of Phoenix Stadium, I thought about the song that best described what the Cards had just accomplished. A couple of the choices were obvious--"We Are The Champions" by Queen and Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'". Neither seemed right.

Then it hit me. All the critics and oddsmakers said the Cards never had a chance. They were 3 point underdogs to Atlanta, 10 to Carolina, and 3 1/2 to Philly.

Only one song would do:



The Cards started out the season as a 45-1 shot to win it all. Even the initial spread has Arizona as 7 point dogs to Pittsburgh. Thank you for the disrespect and motivation.

"The worst playoff team in NFL history" is one victory away from securing the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl XLIII. Let's "SHOCK THE WORLD!"

*Note--That is NOT me in the picture. It's Cardinals' fanatic "Mad Jack" Corson of Chandler.

WLS

For those of you who enjoy WLS from it's Top 40 days, here's a 1978 demo featuring a number of The Big 89 jocks. This golden gift includes Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards, and the late Yvonne Daniels, among others.

Thanks to my friend jb @ The Hits Just Keep On Comin' for the clip.

Happy New Year 2009!

I couldn't think of a better way to ring in 2009 than a holiday cut from an album by one of the Beatles, George Harrison. His 1974 album Dark Horse has been in my collection since it was released. My favorite tune is the title track.

However, during Christmas and New Year's, I'm partial to side two, track one: Ding Dong; Ding Dong. If you've never heard it, I know you will enjoy it.

Harrison is not the only big name on this song. He has recruited an all-star cast, including drummers Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner, who played under the pseudonym Buster Sidebury on both of the Traveling Wilburys albums; Gary Wright on piano; Klaus Voormann, who designed the Beatles' Revolver album cover and played with Manfred Mann, on bass; founding member of Foreigner, Mick Jones, and himself on guitars; Alvin Lee, former frontman for Ten Years After, on electric guitars; and Tom Scott on horns. Sir Frank Crisp is also credited as Spirit.

Let's make 2009 a kick-ass year!

A Near-Purrrrrrfect Woman Reaches The End Of Her 9 Lives

Sultry sex kitten Eartha Kitt passed away today. Renown for her 1953 version of Santa Baby, Kitt portrayed Catwoman on the mid-60s TV show Batman, replacing Julie Newmar.

Once called the "most exciting woman in the world" by Orson Welles, Kitt earned her first certified Gold record with the 1984 disco hit Where Is My Man. She also won Daytime Emmy and Annie Awards and was nominated for Emmy and Tony Awards during her distinguished career.

Kitt wrote three autobiographies – Thursday's Child (1956), Alone with Me (1976), and I'm Still Here: Confessions of a Sex Kitten (1989). In 1960, she was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A Christmas Gift For You

My latest acquisition is a 1964 sealed LP, A Christmas Gift For You From Philles Records. It's a Phil Spector-produced album featuring his entire Philles Records roster, including Darlene Love, The Ronettes, The Crystals, and Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans.

The back-up musicians read like a Who's Who in the music business at the time:

Horns - "Teenage" Steve Douglas, Jay Migliori, Roy Caton & Lou Blackburn
Guitars - Tom "Arbuckle" Tedesco, Bill Pitman, Irv Rubins & Nino Tempo
Pianos - Leon Russell, Don Randi & Al Delory
Bass - Ray Pohlman & Jimmy Bond
Drums - Hal Blaine
Percussion - Frank Knapp, Sonny Bono & Jack "Specs" Nitzsche
Strings - Jimmy Vidor Strings

Some interesting notes about the album and jacket cover:

- On the back cover, the "The" in Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans is both capitalized and not capitalized in several places.
- Sleigh Ride is listed on the jacket and album as 3:45. It's actually closer to 2:45.
- No time is listed for Silent Night on the jacket. On the LP, the time is 2:35.
- Marshmellow World is spelled with an "e" on the front cover and album. On the back cover, it's spelled with an "a".

I hope you enjoy these mid-60s classic Christmas tunes! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Side One

White Christmas - Darlene Love
Frosty The Snowman - The Ronettes
The Bells of St. Mary's - Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Crystals
Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes
Marshmellow World - Darlene Love

Side Two

I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - The Ronettes
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Crystals
Winter Wonderland - Darlene Love
Parade of The Wooden Soldiers - The Crystals
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Here Comes Santa Claus - Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans
Silent Night - Phil Spector and Artists

'Twas The Night Before Christmas...well almost

Over the years, I've collected many records, both LPs and 45s. In my collection, I have a few Christmas albums. My favorite is a 1964 MGM release of Great Children's Stories (CH-517) featuring 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, The Little Fir Tree, and The Night The Animals Talked.

I am particularly fond of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas. The voice of the mouse belongs to popular character actor Bob Hastings. Hastings is best known for playing Lt. Elroy Carpenter on McHale's Navy, one of two Tommy Kelsey's on All In The Family, and General Hospital's Capt. Burt Ramsey. His younger brother, Don, has been a fixture on As The World Turns since October 1960, the month after I was born.

I hope you enjoy this album as much as I do.

'Lil Tommy Back Where He Belongs

Tommy Edwards returns to WLS-FM later this month, filling in for Dick Biondi. 'Lil Tommy will be on the air Monday, December 29, Tuesday, December 30, Friday, January 2, and Monday, January 5 from 7 to 11 p.m. (CST). I wonder if 'Ol Uncle Lar will make a surprise visit via the telephone?

Bob Barry Sighting

Milwaukee radio extraordinaire Bob Barry takes over the microphone at My 95.7 WRIT-FM from 3 to 7 p.m. (2 to 6 in Arizona) Saturday. The legendary deejay will share Christmas stories and interviews. BB is a must-listen.

The New 94.5 Lake FM

Milwaukee’s newest radio station, 94.5 Lake FM debuted at noon today. The soon-to-be WLWK replaces WKTI, which had essentially the same format for 32 years. That’s almost unheard of in radio, especially in this day-and-age.

Based on listener feedback, the design of the station is “unpredictable and fun to listen to.” Instead of being limited to just a few hundred of the same tired songs, 94.5 Lake FM will feature thousands of songs from the 60’s to today, including Pop, Rock, Top 40 and the timeless classics, all without jocks until after the first of the year.

You would be correct if you think this format sounds like an offshoot of “Jack-FM.” That’s exactly what it is. However, it's nothing like the format at the former 93.1 The Lake in Madison, which recently switched to hip-hop. R.I.P.

Election Day

Today is Election Day in America. Most voters only vote every four years. Why? That’s when we elect the President of the United States, our Commander-in-Chief.

Some are calling this election a historical day in American politics. However, is it, really? If Barack Obama wins, he becomes the first African-American President. Would an Obama victory be any more significant than John F. Kennedy becoming the first Catholic President? I guess that depends on your point-of-view.

Throughout our country’s history, the leader hasn’t always been the smartest or strongest. Often, not even the best looking, as evidenced by President William McKinley. The best leaders have been the ones who unified the populace against attacks from outsiders. Our current leader couldn’t tell his ass from a hole in the ground.

In 2000, 2004, and this year, I voted for the same individual for Chief Executive. This person is a strong leader possessing the ability to bring Americans together as one. This person is…ME!

Hail To The Chief, President Willie!!!

Book Reports

I'm the first to admit that sitting down and reading a book is not my first love. I read enough at work and doing my homework for school to keep me occupied for quite some time.

Once-in-a-while, a book interests me enough to fork over some hard earned cash to buy it. Such is the case with three books I recently purchased.

The first is Clark Weber's Rock and Roll Radio The Fun Years: 1955-1975. I've owned it for about a month and plan to take it, along with the other two, with me on my trip back to Badgerland next month. My interest is in Weber's stories while he was at WLS and WCFL during the late 60s-early 70s.

The second book is also WLS-related, Chicago's WLS Radio (IL) (Images of America) by Scott Childers. Childers is the authority on Chicagoland radio, particularly WLS. That book and the third are scheduled to arrive this week.

My last book has nothing to do with radio. However, it deals with overcoming perceptions and finding yourself. Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice by Maureen McCormick. I can't wait to read it. McCormick is doing a book tour and will be in Tempe this Friday. Unfortunately, I have to work. Otherwise, I would stand in line to meet her and thank her "for keeping it real."

Check back for my book reports on these three fine offerings.

Lujack Alert

Larry Lujack will make a special guest appearance when his old "Animal Stories" partner Tommy Edwards fills in from noon to 3 p.m. (10-1 for us out West) Sunday on WGN-AM. Edwards signed off last month after two years as morning personality at WILV-FM. Due to budget constraints at Bonneville, his contract was not renewed.

Interestingly, the Bonneville station in Phoenix, The Peak, has an opening for morning drive. No word on if free agents Tim & Willy, off the air for nearly a year, are being considered for the open position. Maybe it's time for another Willie in Phoenix. Naaaaaaah!

Baseball Withdrawal

Now that the 2008 baseball season has ended, at least for us Brewers' fans, here's a song to get you through until Spring Training 2009. Talkin' Baseball 2007 (Brewers All The Way) by Terry Cashman

I've got one for you near-suicidal Cubs' fans, too. Talkin' Baseball 2008 (Chicago Cubs) by Terry Cashman

Plus, one for the rest of you. Centerfield by John Fogerty

This one goes out to Shark, who went to the final Brewers game of the year. Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner by Warren Zevon

One Hit Wonder Day (The Fallacy)

I am a big fan of One Hit Wonders. This Thursday is One Hit Wonder Day. I thought about doing a tribute to my favorite One Hit Wonders, UNTIL I did a bit more research.

I came across a blog, Paul's Ramblings, with an entry from September 25, 2006. It opened my eyes to another person's view of One Hit Wonders...

The media are talking about today as being "One Hit Wonder Day" and it brings up an issue that bothers me as a former radio man, one who researched and informed my audience of the artists and songs I played during my shows. In every sense of the phrase, One Hit Wonder (in America for the case of my argument) is supposed to mean one charting song, and not just any chart, but Billboards Top 40. So, that is just one hit on the Top 40, and you are never heard from again.

But time and time again, artists who have actually charted, in the Billboard Top 40, are misclassified as being One Hit Wonders. That is because most music directors / programmers don't bother to consult the Billboard / All Music Guides, that list every chart hit since the mid 1950s (readily available in every radio station). Laziness...

Take V-H1's 100 One Hit Wonders, and we can begin to pull apart this travesty. No. 8 out of 100 is A-ha with Take On Me. This song reached number 1, so of course everyone remembers it. It is one of the most well known 80's singles ever. But, they followed it with a second hit single, The Sun Always Shines On TV which reached number 20. That's two hits (even more if you count the club charts, adult contemporary charts, etc) back-to-back using the very same chart system to determine if a group has had one hit or not. Yet, they remain relegated to the One Hit Wonder classification.

Take No. 44, the late Falco with Rock Me Amadeus (which also hit number 1). He followed it up with Vienna Calling, which reached number 18. Once again, relegated to One Hit Wonder land. No. 48, Spandau Ballet with True, which reached number 10. Another famous anthem of the 1980s. Yet, the Spands also had two more top 40 hits with Gold (number 29) and Only When You Leave (number 34). That's three Top 40 singles, how is that a One Hit Wonder act? What about No. 83, Canada's Men Without Hats and the infamous Safety Dance? This went to number 3, then they returned to the Top 40 with Pop Goes The World (number 20). All of these chart stats are easily found. Just go to The All Music Guide, type in an artists, then check the chart stats. Look at the Billboard 100 (the list in which the Top 40 is pulled).

As I've illustrated, just using tracks from the 1980s, and the basic classifications V-H1 and the music industry tends to use (Top 40 singles), audiences and artists are being cheated. Artists with multiple chart hits are classified as being one-hit-wonders, and audiences believe it. Radio programmers use this to pull the "one hit" for rotation, ignoring all the other singles Casey Kasem would tell us about every Sunday. The audiences are cheated will false information and less songs in rotation. How hard is it to check the charts before you start calling artists one-hit-wonders? Don't the musicians deserve some recognition for multiple chart hits?

I have no problem with a group that is best known for a particular hit over all their other songs that charted, but don't force them into one-hit-wonder obscurity for that. Give credit where credit is due. Once on the charts, one hit wonder. More than once on the charts, remove them from that list.....

This just always bothered me, as a DJ, when other on-air hacks never bothered to check the facts or learn anything about what they played. I felt it was my job, not only to play the music, but to give the audience a little background on the music and performers they enjoyed. This was one of the things that my audiences seemed to enjoy the most. Nothing was more rewarding than a call from a listener saying "I never knew that until you mentioned it on the air..." So, for those of you still on the air, take some time to learn a bit more about what you are playing....

Since there is no established standard concerning One Hit Wonders, I think I'll skip One Hit Wonder Day this year. I've got too much other research and homework to finish. Plus, I'm headed back to Wisconsin on Thursday for my 30th High School Reunion at Waukesha North and a weekend of drunken debauchery. Go Northstars!

WOKY Morphs Into AM 920 The Wolf

Starting at 6 am Thursday morning, WOKY in Milwaukee changes formats and shifts from Oldies to Classic Country. Radios all over Milwaukee will be tuned to the AM band as the station belts out Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton. What a change from the rockin' days of the 60's and 70's.

It will be interesting to see how AM 920 The Wolf fares against country-stronghold FM 106.1 WMIL.

Jim Stafford

Jim Stafford is a talented entertainer who enjoyed the bulk of his commercial record success in the space of three years. From 1973 to 1975, Stafford had six singles hit the Billboard Pop Singles Chart. His 1974 album, Jim Stafford, peaked at #6 on the Pop Albums Chart and #55 on the Country Albums Chart.

From Stafford's self-titled LP, which somehow found its way into my collection, came four hits--Swamp Witch, which was released as a single in 1973, My Girl Bill, Spiders & Snakes, and Wildwood Weed. One year later, Stafford hit with I Got Stoned And I Missed It, which was recorded in 1975 by Dr. Hook, and Your Bulldog Drinks Champagne.

Two other songs made it to the charts, but not very far--1977's Turn Loose Of My Leg made it to #98 on the Pop Singles Chart and Cow Patti from 1981 rose to #65 on the Country Singles Chart. The latter tune appeared on the soundtrack for Clint Eastwood's movie, Any Which Way You Can, in which Stafford also appeared.

Since 1990, Stafford, who was married to Bobbie Gentry during the latter half of the 70's, has called Branson, Missouri home, where he owns a theater and still performs about 350 shows a year.

So You Want to be a Volleyball Star

Besides being interested in radio, I excelled at volleyball in high school. I thought it might be interesting to post a photo of me soaring above a blocker and laying the smack down on my opponents.


This was from the fall of 1977. Waukesha North lost at Regionals that year, narrowly missing a bid to state. The following year, North made it to state.

Top of the Pops

Some Top of the Pops albums in the U.K. so perfectly encapsulate the moment they were recorded that it's like having your own private time machine. Others, though laden down with flotsam you wish you could forget, simply remind you why you stopped buying records that month.

Donny Osmond and The Partridge Family were inevitable, as hardly a week went by in the western world when one or both weren't somewhere near the top. Then, there's David Bowie's Starman to nail the chronology into place.

The July 1972 Top 40 included Slade, Gary Glitter, the Sweet, Alice Cooper, Hawkwind, T. Rex, The Kinks, Free, Wings, and B Bumble & the Stingers. It is an alternate universe that would select Dr Hook, Johnny Nash, Bruce Ruffin, and the Love Theme from “The Godfather” as a representative sampling of what the top pops really sounded like. Song for song, there are some reasonable versions included, although it will not escape the sharp-eared listener that the Osmond vocal is the blended tones of both a male and female singer, nor that the person performing Sylvia's Mother sounds a lot like the guy who also handles Rod Stewart covers.

As for true highlights, only the Jona Lewie-led Terry Dactyl & the Dinosaurs' one-hit wonder Seaside Shuffle, which closely resembles Mungo Jerry’s In The Summertime, and Brandy by Looking Glass truly demand to be heard more than once. That leaves the remainder to creep back into relative obscurity, where they can't mess with your memory banks.

Title / Artist
Sylvia's Mother / Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do / Neil Sedaka
Mad About You / Bruce Ruffin
Circles / The New Seekers
Brandy / The Looking Glass
Puppy Love / Donny Osmond
Automatically Sunshine / The Supremes
Join Together / The Who
Love Theme from "The Godfather / Hugo Montenegro
Starman / David Bowie
Seaside Shuffle / Terry Dactyl and the Dinosaurs

Vinyl Record Day 2008 Podcast

Enjoy my podcast for Vinyl Record Day 2008. It features some of my favorite artists all performing their hits live.

For more information on VRD 2008, check out The Hits Just Keep On Comin'.

Unforgettable Moments From The Legendary Mr. Sports

In preparation for Vinyl Record Day 2008 on Tuesday, I stopped in at Zia Records & Tapes in Chandler, Arizona this afternoon and picked up a live album that was not in my collection, but certainly should have been. Rather spoil the fun, listen for a cut off this prized album during my VDR ’08 podcast.

In digging through the singles crates, I came across a 7” disc, Great Moments in Sports with Cookie "Chainsaw” Randolph. This $2.50 classic, purchased for a mere $.99, features the dated humor of Shebel & Larson, the morning duo in the mid-80s at KDKB 93.3, Arizona’s Classic Rock Radio.


While Keith Larson went on to unknown parts after their break-up, Chris Shebel is a well-recognized name in the radio industry. He’s the guy who replaced Tommy Edwards on the mid-day shift at WLS a gazillion years ago before relocating to the Valley of the Sun for a brief stay. Currently, Shebel is program director and 9-2 jock at 93.9 KISS-FM in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Vinyl Record Day 2008

Vinyl Record Day 2008 is less than two weeks away. You won't believe what I've got planned for this year's celebration. Don't touch that dial!

Kid Rock Rocks!

I'm not a big fan of Kid Rock. However, his tune All Summer Long has become a favorite. It's probably due to his sampling of Werewolves of London and Sweet Home Alabama. Enjoy the video.

Radio HOF Winners

Inductees were named Thursday to the Chicago-based Radio Hall of Fame. Winners included Boston's Howie Carr, who blew past Steve Dahl and two others in the local/regional category, and Dr. James Dobson's "Focus on the Family," which beat Howard Stern and two others in the national category.

Other winners announced Thursday included Art Bell in the national pioneer category, Charlie Tuna in the local/regional pioneer category, and Mickey Luckoff, president and general manager of KGO-AM in San Francisco. As previously announced, posthumous inductees were Bob Collins of WGN and WOKY, Jess Cain of Boston and Dick Whittinghill of Los Angeles.

Winners will be inducted November 8 during a nationally broadcast black-tie event at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel.

Fast Trax On Hiatus

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 16:

1. Waterfalls – TLC
2. On Bended Knee – Boyz II Men
3. Kiss From A Rose – Seal
4. Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
5. Hold My Hand – Hootie & The Blowfish
6. I’ll Be There For You (Theme from “Friends) – The Rembrandts

After posting Fast Trax every Friday for the past four months, I've decided to put it on hiatus for a while. Its return will be dictated by my schedule, which is very hectic these days.

Moon Martin

jb over at The Hits Just Keep On Comin', reminded me of an artist I enjoyed playing in college. Moon Martin was better known as a songwriter than a performer. Martin's song, Bad Case of Lovin' You (Doctor, Doctor), peaked at #14 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart...for Robert Palmer.

As a performer, the bespeckled Oklahoma native hit the Pop Singles Chart twice in 1979 with Rolene reaching #30 and No Chance topping out at #50. One other tune, X-Ray Vision, made it all the way up to #67 on the Billboard Club Play Singles Chart in 1982.

Often compared to Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe, here's a video of Moon Martin & The Ravens performing Rolene:

WLS-FM Has Returned To The Building

Replete with jingles from the Top 40 glory days of "The Rock of Chicago," Citadel Broadcasting has resurrected the fabled call letters, WLS-FM, on its oldies station replacing WZZN-FM. At midnight, 94.7 WLS-FM - Chicago's True Oldies slogan went on the air with a welcome from Dick Biondi, followed by the song "Life Is A Rock (WLS Rolled Me)" by Reunion.

Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me) / Reunion

George Carlin Passes Away

Comedic genius George Carlin passed away Sunday in Los Angeles. The 71-year old Carlin was best known for his routine, Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television.

When Carlin uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested on charges of disturbing the peace, freed on $150 bail and exonerated when a Wisconsin judge dismissed the case, saying it was indecent but citing free speech and the lack of any disturbance. When the words were later played on a New York radio station, they resulted in a 1978 Supreme Court ruling upholding the government's authority to sanction stations for broadcasting offensive language during hours when children might be listening.

Despite his reputation as unapologetically irreverent, Carlin was a television staple through the decades, serving as host of the Saturday Night Live debut in 1975, noting on his Web site that he was "loaded on cocaine all week long," and appearing over 130 times on The Tonight Show. He won four Grammy Awards, each for best spoken comedy album, and was nominated for five Emmy awards.

This past Tuesday, it was announced that Carlin was being awarded the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, which will be presented November 10 in Washington and broadcast on PBS.

Fast Trax 15

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 14:

1. Stayin’ Alive – The Bee Gees
2. Le Freak – Chic
3. Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb
4. Kiss You All Over – Exile
5. Boogie Oogie Oogie – A Taste of Honey
6. Hot Child In The City – Nick Gilder

Kudos to rogson, who correctly guessed all six songs and artists.

This week, we check out the second half of our two-part tribute to the Top Hits of 1978 on WLS. Good luck!

Fast Trax 15

Here You Come Again

No, not the mega-hit from Dolly Parton that reached #3 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart and #23 at The Big 89 in 1978. A familiar set of call letters may rise again like the Phoenix on Chicago airwaves. Not used since 1995, WLS-FM is poised to make a comeback.

Next week, the suits at Citadel plan to petition the FCC to change "True Oldies" WZZN-FM into WLS-FM. Already in place are WLS voices from the past, Dick Biondi and Brant Miller. Could Uncle Lar or Records (It truly IS his middle name) be far behind? If the change is approved, listen for new and classic jingles to appear on or after June 26.

Ian Thomas

As I was perusing a couple of books on Top 40 music from the ‘70s, I became intrigued with a Canadian artist named Ian Thomas. The former frontman for the folk group Tranquility Base, Thomas is the younger brother of actor and SCTV comedian Dave Thomas. Ian was a member of an early ‘90s group called the Boomers.

As an artist, Thomas is a one-hit wonder (which we love) with his hit Painted Ladies, which peaked at #34 on the 1974 Billboard Pop Singles Chart. Debuting on WCFL on November 3, 1973, Painted Ladies peaked at #4 on The Voice of Labor on December 29 of that year and spent 13 weeks on their charts. If you remember Dave’s movie, Strange Brew, Ian wrote and recorded the theme song.

With a sound reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, other artists, including Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (The Runner), Santana (Hold On), and Chicago (Chains), have covered a number of Thomas’ songs. Daryl Braithwaite had two Australian hits with Thomas tunes, As The Days Go By and All I Do.

Recently, I acquired two of Thomas’ 45s. Enjoy!

Painted Ladies

Chains (Perplexio from The Review Revue was interested in this song)

Fast Trax 14

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 13:

1. I Heard it Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
2. Love Is Blue – Paul Mauriat
3. Jumpin’ Jack Flash – Rolling Stones
4. Honey – Bobby Goldsboro
5. Love Child – Diana Ross & The Supremes
6. Bend Me, Shape Me – American Breed

Congrats to the winner, volley, for serving up the correct answers.

As I mentioned last Friday, this week and next we'll explore the Top Hits of 1978 on WLS. This is a two-part tribute to the year I graduated high school. In fact, I will be back in my hometown, Waukesha, for Homecoming and our 30th Class Reunion at the end of September. Go North!

Fast Trax 14

R.I.P. Jim McKay

Fast Trax 13

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 12:

1. If You Leave Me Now – Chicago
2. Adia – Sarah MacLachlan
3. Drops Of Jupiter - Train
4. Piano Man – Billy Joel
5. Crash Into Me – Dave Matthews Band
6. Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd

The winner was Griffin.

Originally, this week was to be Part 1 of the Top Hits of 1978 on WLS. However, since today is the 40th anniversary of the death of Robert F. Kennedy, we'll do '78 next week. This week the 6 songs are from WLS' Top Hits of 1968.

Fast Trax 13

RFK

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the shooting of Robert F. Kennedy, although RFK would live until the following day. "Abraham, Martin And John" by Dion was #19 on The Big 89's Top Hits of 1968.

Bo Diddley joins the Legends in Rock 'N' Roll Heaven

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bo Diddley died today of heart failure in Archer, Florida. The 79-year old Diddley suffered a heart attack in August 2007, three months after suffering a stroke while touring in Iowa. The stroke affected his ability to speak, and he had returned to Florida to continue rehabilitation.

Diddley's trademarks were his homemade square guitar, dark glasses and black hat. His first single, “Bo Diddley,” introduced record buyers in 1955 to his signature rhythm: bomp ba-bomp bomp, bomp bomp, often summarized as “shave and a haircut, two bits.” The B side, “I'm a Man,” with its slightly humorous take on macho pride, also became a rock standard.

Fast Trax 12

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 11:

1. Bob Dearborn – WCFL – 3/15/76
2. Bob Barry – WOKY – 1969
3. The Real Don Steele - KHJ – 3/29/68
4. Robert W. Morgan – WIND – 1970
5. Dan Ingram – WABC – 6/25/66
6. Larry Lujack – WLS – 9/16/76

The winner was Captain Dunsil.

This week we're back to guessing song and artist. Good luck!

Fast Trax 12

Whistle Is Your Work

88-year-old Earle Hagen died on Memorial Day.

Hagen's name may not be well known, but he's responsible for the theme songs of many of TV's biggest shows, including two of the best sitcoms of the 1960s, The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Dukes of Hazzard which ran from 1979 to 1985.

In case you were unaware, Hagen was the whistler on the Griffith Show theme. Did you think it was Ronny Howard or Otis The Drunk?

Jeff over at AM, Then FM has a more detailed tribute to Hagen. Check it out.

The Big 89 Rewind 2008: Records Truly Is His Middle Name

John Records Landecker was once one of the top jocks at WLS. I was able to record his entire 4 hour show during the 2nd Annual Big 89 Rewind, but edited it down to 1 1/2 hours. The only song I kept in its entirety was "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' To Glide" by The Kings, which reached #43 on Billboard's Pop Singles chart in 1980 and is one of my favs.

You can hear Boogie Check during the last 30 minutes of the aircheck, but no Americana Panorama. At the beginning is the last few minutes of Bill Bailey's show and the start of Jeff Davis' show is featured at the end.

The Big 89 Rewind 2008: Uncle Lar & Lil Tommy

I was able to record the last 20 minutes of Uncle Lar & Lil Tommy on The Big 89 Rewind 2008. Included is a segment of Animal Stories, along with the beginning of Fred Winston's show.

Fast Trax 11

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 10:

1. I Don’t Like Mondays – The Boomtown Rats
2. Drive – The Cars
3. Juke Box Hero – Foreigner
4. Lovin’ Every Minute Of It – Loverboy
5. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams
6. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? – Shania Twain

The winner...Shark. He got 5 out of 6 correct. I guess he LIKES Monday's. :)----------

In honor of The Big 89 Rewind on Memorial Day, this week's contest takes on a different twist. You have to name the jock, the station, and, if possible, the year of the aircheck. If you can't guess #6, your 3rd Class Ticket is revoked.

Fast Trax 11

Who says you can't go home again...and again?

Some of the greatest stars of the Top 40 heyday of WLS are returning for the 2nd Annual Big 89 REWIND. Set your alarm clocks for 5 a.m. in the Midwest or 3 a.m. in the Valley of the Sun on Monday, as the Citadel Broadcasting station will host a 19-hour Memorial Day flashback to its pre-talk era.

Guest jocks include Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards, Chuck Knapp, Fred Winston, John Records Landecker, Bill Bailey and Jeff Davis. Returning news anchors will be Lyle Dean, Catherine Johns, Karen Hand, Jeff Hendrix and Gil Gross, along with sportscaster Les Grobstein.

What? No Turi Ryder? I am shocked and outraged!

(Thanks to Bob Feder of the Chicago Sun-Times for the scoop.)

Fast Trax 10

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 9:

1. Indiana Wants Me – R. Dean Taylor
2. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) – Sly & the Family Stone
3. War – Edwin Starr
4. Gypsy Woman – Brian Hyland
5. Love On A Two-Way Street – The Moments
6. Love Land – Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band

The winner was Shark, who got 4 out of 6 correct. The last two were challenging, to say the least.

This week, we give a listen to a six pack from one of the greatest record producers of all-time, Robert "Mutt" Lange. Sadly, his wife decided to end their marriage after 14 years. Happily, she's one of our featured artists.

Fast Trax 10

Fast Trax 9

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 8:

1. Pain – Type O Negative
2. Anesthesia – Type O Negative
3. Give Me Novacaine/She’s A Rebel – Green Day
4. Pulling Teeth – Green Day
5. Tooth, Fang & Claw – Ted Nugent
6. Yank Me, Crank Me – Ted Nugent

The winner was Noah Body. BTW, my oral surgery was successful. I really enjoyed my prescription for vicodin.

This week, we visit the Super CFL charts of 1970. Good luck!

Fast Trax 9

2008 National Radio Hall of Fame

Voting is open for this year's crop of nominees hoping to gain induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame at a gala on Saturday, November 8 at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel. For the first time ever, voting is free to the general public at http://www.radiohof.org/ and lasts until Tuesday, July 15 at midnight (EDT) with winners announced shortly afterwards. In 2004, I had to buy a membership to the HOF just to vote in Larry Lujack.

Here are the 2008 categories and corresponding nominees:

National Pioneer Category
Art Bell
Ralph Emery
Barry Farber
Gang Busters

National Active Category
Bob Costas
Focus On The Family (Dr. James Dobson)
Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Howard Stern

Local Pioneer Category
Gary Burbank
Harry Kalas
Charlie Tuna
Jim Zabel

Local Alive Category
Howie Carr
Steve Dahl
Bob Grant
Ronn Owens

Without revealing my votes and influencing the outcome, I feel the need to point out some interesting tidbits about this year's cast of characters.

In the National Active Category, you've got NBC's Bob Costas, turned down by Keebler during his elf audition, up against a supposed doctor, Laura Schlessinger, battling against Howard Stern and his Private Parts. Do you think Focus On The Family stands a chance? Maybe next year, Dr. Dobson.

If Stern and Steve Dahl both win induction in 2008, is the dais large enough for their massive egos together in one room? I don't think so.

On a more serious note, the Local Pioneer Category was the most difficult choice for me. You've got Cincinnati's favorite son, Gary Burbank, matched against Harry Kalas, whose voice evokes memories of the late John Facenda, pitted against the legendary disc jockey Charlie Tuna, who has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, going up against the former long-time voice of Iowa Hawkeyes football, Jim Zabel. Kalas and Tuna remain active, full-time broadcasters, while Burbank retired from radio at the end of 2007 and Zabel is still on WHO in Des Moines during the football season from his home in Arizona.

After the vote is in, I may tell you who I voted for. Then again....

Uncle Lar's NAB HOF Acceptance Speech

Here is Larry Lujack's National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame acceptance speech, courtesy of John Rook and The New Radio Star. Typical Uncle Lar.

Brett Favre - Tribute To A Legend

I got this Sports Illustrated Special Collector's Edition "Brett Favre - Tribute To A Legend" Limited Issue #007470 in the mail on Saturday. I'll miss seeing him peform on Sunday's, but I'll never forget him.

Fast Trax 8

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 7:

1. Hot For Teacher – Van Halen
2. Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy – Bad Company
3. Something About You – Boston
4. Roll Me Away – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
5. Space Cowboy – Steve Miller Band
6. Train Kept A Rollin’ – Aerosmith

Shark got all five artists correct, but just missed songs #3 & #6. Nice try, buddy.

This week, in honor of getting all four of my wisdom teeth pulled, we've got 6 songs from 3 artists dealing with fun at the dentist. Bite me!

Fast Trax 8

Love & The Rocket

Mindy McCready was once a talented country music artist, who seemingly had her whole life ahead of her. She is the former, future Mrs. Dean Cain of Superman fame.

McCready's 1996 album, Ten Thousand Angels, went double-platinum and featured her #1 Country hit, "Guys Do It All The Time." The follow-up LP, If I Don't Stay The Night, was certified gold. Since then, her career has gone into a tailspin.

I won't go into all the gory details of her life, but now she is being linked to a long-term relationship that began when she was 15 years old with then 29-year old Roger Clemens when he pitched for the Boston Red Sox.

As if either of these two had enough problems in life. Next stop, court.

Fast Trax 7

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 6:

1. I Ran (So Far Away) – A Flock of Seagulls
2. Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
3. Venus – Bananarama
4. Shattered Dreams – Johnny Hates Jazz
5. She Blinded Me With Science – Thomas Dolby
6. Shock The Monkey – Peter Gabriel

Bravo to Steed who got all 6 correct. I don't believe his first name is John nor does he have a consort named Emma Peel.

This week's feature is a dose of classic rock. Best of luck!

Fast Trax 7

Today, while listening to a radio station that streams on the Internet, I heard a friend doing vacation relief on a Midwestern Classic Rock station. This person has a great set of pipes and a tremendous passion for music.

Unfortunately, this aircheck would not rate a “Finest Hour” nomination. While attempting to record a phone call off the air, my friend must have thrown the wrong switch. You could hear a phone being dialed over top of the song being played and the recording on the other end, “This number is disconnected or out of service.” This was followed by my friend exclaiming, “Damn it!” and redialing the call with the same result.

I don’t know if my friend knew this went out over the air, but my friend will now. If only I had recorded the gaffe on my computer's hard drive.... Oh well, such is life.

(The person’s identity and station call letters are withheld to protect the guilty.)

Tomorrow is Record Store Day. Patronize your local independently owned purveyors of fine vinyl as they are "celebrating the culture and unique place that they occupy both in their local communities and nationally."

Otherwise, you might get a visit from Deep Purple's Ian Gillian, who offers this cautionary note, "Buy real records in real shops, or I'll come round your house and scream at your mother."

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 5:

1. Xanadu – Rush
2. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida – Iron Butterfly
3. The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys – Traffic
4. Tubular Bells – Mike Oldfield
5. Green Grass and High Tides (Live) – The Outlaws
6. Free Bird (Live) – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Unfortunately, no one guessed all six songs and artists. Shark came the closest with 4 out of 6, missing #1 & #5.

This week, we're going for some Brit Pop. Cheerio!

Fast Trax 6

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 4:

1. Betta Knock – Playaz Circle
2. Sexual Eruption (Sensual Seduction) – Snoop Dogg
3. Party Like A Rock Star – Shop Boyz
4. Yahhh! – Soulja Boy Tell’em
5. Take You There – Sean Kingston
6. Damaged – Danity Kane

The winner was Dee.

Our new six-pack includes the DJ's best friend--tunes over 10 minutes with one over 25!

Fast Trax 5

How should America eliminate illegals?
Ask Ted Nugent.

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 3:

1. Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under? – Shania Twain
2. Luckenbach, Texas (Back To The Basics Of Love) – Waylon Jennings
3. Valentine – Martina McBride
4. Seven Year Ache – Rosanne Cash
5. Fancy – Reba McEntire
6. She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy – Kenny Chesney

The winner was Noah Body, again.

This week features six urban hits.

Fast Trax 4

Another WLS-alum returns to the airwaves as Brant Miller is tabbed for morning drive at Chicago’s 94.7 FM, True Oldies. Starting Monday, the WMAQ-Channel 5 weather forecaster replaces Scott Mackay at WZZN-FM on the 6 to 10 a.m. shift.

Miller was at The Big 89 and its FM counterpart, which became WZZN, from 1977 to 1991. While still in radio, Miller segued into weather forecasting in 1989 at WFLD-Channel 32.

With two gigs, Miller will be a rock 'n' roll disc jockey by day and a TV weather dude by night.

With the Brewers and Cubs opening up the 2008 season facing each other this afternoon, weather permitting, I thought this might be a good time to revisit an old favorite. (Caution: Strong language content.)

Go Brewers!

BTW, check out AM, Then FM as Jeff describes his trip to County Stadium in '68.

Yesterday, I went to the Safeway International LPGA event at the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Apache Junction near Phoenix. I've enjoyed watching the ladies play at least a half-dozen times in the over 20 years I've lived here. It's such a fan-friendly event, where players actually give autographs after their round is done for the day.

In the past, I've followed Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam, and Natalie Gulbis, to name just a few. Three of my friends (Shark, jb, and Gar) and I had the opportunity to have our picture taken with Nancy. The last time she was here, I followed Nancy's group and got to talk with her husband, former major league baseball player Ray Knight.

I was fortunate to follow Annika when she became Ms. 59. During the second round of the 2001 Standard Register Ping at Moon Valley Country Club, she became the sixth pro golfer and first woman to shoot a 59 in a competitive round of golf.

A couple of years ago, I followed Natalie Gulbis. I heard Natalie was one of the longest drivers on the LPGA tour and I wanted to see her distance for myself. Trust me, she can hit it 300 yards without no problem. Plus, Natalie is definitely hot!

That brings me to yesterday. I decided to follow someone who I watched on TV, but never saw in person. Even though she was out of contention, I decided to observe Paula Creamer, aka The Pink Panther. Unlike Natalie, Paula is short off the tee, but deadly accurate. She was good tee-to-green, but her putting was off.

I caught up with Paula's group at the 11th hole and trailed her for the remainder of the round. What I remember most about the experience was not the golf, but the two autographed balls she gave to a couple of children who were following her. The intimacy of the LPGA keeps me coming back year after year.

Sadly, Safeway has pulled out as the major sponsor of the LPGA stop in Phoenix and 2008 could very well be the last time the ladies play in The Valley of the Sun after a 26-year run. Let's hope not. You would think Ping, Bashas' Supermarkets or a number of other local companies could team up and include this event in their advertising budget. I would miss seeing the ladies live, as I have the Champions Tour, which moved The Tradition to Oregon five years ago.

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 2:

1. West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
2. Eternal Flame – The Bangles
3. Just What I Needed – The Cars
4. Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
5. Life In A Northern Town – Dream Academy
6. Video Killed The Radio Star – The Buggles

The winner was Shark (with a little help from my son).

This week, we gone country.

Fast Trax 3

82-year-old Wally Phillips, a National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame member, whose wit and charm dominated the art of the on-air radio personality in Chicago for two decades, has died at his home in Naples, Florida after losing his long time battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Phillips held down morning drive on WGN Radio from January 1965 until July 1986, and was number one in the morning slot from 1968 until his departure for an afternoon radio slot in 1986. He retired from WGN in 1998 after 42 years with the station, but came out of retirement the following year to host a weekly two-hour program on WAIT-AM, a station based in Crystal Lakes.

Phillips also was the first to offer a $1 million prize. In his most famous and longest-running promotion, listeners were invited to guess what was inside "Wally's Black Box." No one ever did. The box turned out to contain a note bearing the name of Jean Rogers, a movie heroine Phillips admired.

Among his legacies at WGN was establishment of the Neediest Kids Fund, for which Phillips raised more than $25 million.

Bob Collins, who died in a plane crash in 2000, succeeded Phillips as WGN’s morning man.

My friend LENY and I went to Maryvale Baseball Park today to catch the Brewers/Padres Spring Training game. I got to the park early and bought the tickets, Section 103 Row D Seats 9 & 10. The Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat with an orange slice was mighty tasty on an 85 degree day.

When we got to our seats, I noticed a guy dressed in black sitting one row in front of us. I caught a glimpse of his sideburns and said to LENY, "That's The Honky Tonk Man." At first, LENY thought it was just an Elvis impersonator. However, it did turn out to be the greatest WWE Intercontinental Champion ever, The Honky Tonk Man.

LENY and I had a chance to talk to Roy (his real name) for a few innings before he went up to the press box. As a favor to one of the Brewers' PR guys, Roy was supposed to throw out the first pitch before the game, but had an injury to his right pectoral muscle and had to decline. He was very gracious with the fans and signed some autographs and took a few pictures when they came down to meet him. He got a nice ovation when he was introduced during the game.

Tomorrow, The Honky Tonk Man, who lives in the Phoenix area, is headed to St. Louis for a non-wrestling appearance and then on to Milwaukee and Racine for a couple of matches. I hope he packs his winter clothes. During the game, I called my brother in Waukesha and he said that 10 inches of snow was on the ground and four inches more were expected tonight.

Now you know why I live in The Valley of the Sun.

Here are the answers to Fast Trax 1:

1. Truly, Madly, Deeply – Savage Garden
2. Baby, Come To Me – Patti Austin w/James Ingram
3. Last Song – Edward Bear
4. Tell It To My Heart – Taylor Dayne
5. Playground In My Mind – Clint Holmes
6. Informer - Snow

The winner was Noah Body.

This week features an offering of New Wave. Good luck!

Fast Trax 2

St. Patrick's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I don't get the day off from work or anything special, but it reminds me of part of my heritage.

My maternal grandfather was Irish, Vincent Patrick Raap. When he was alive, he smoked Camel non-filtered cigarettes down to the nub and enjoyed a stiff drink or two. He was a short man, who drove a big Buick and could barely see over the top of the steering wheel.

One Thanksgiving, Grandpa got upset with the children making too much noise in the kitchen. He stormed in from the dining room and bellowed, "Shut up and eat!" It 's something I'll never forget.

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day and Grandpa, Mom and I dined last night on a meal of corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes. Tonight, the leftovers. YUM!

Musically, I picked out five songs that remind me of St. Patrick's Day. In case you're wondering why I've excluded "Danny Boy," it's not really an Irish song. The ditty, made famous by Bing Crosby, was composed by an Englishman, who never set foot in Ireland. The song is more appropriate for a funeral, than a celebration.

A quick note about "My Wild Irish Rose." The tenor is Morton Downey, whose son, Morton Downey, Jr., was an infamous talk show host in the 1980's.

'Éirinn go Brách'--Ireland Forever!

When I was in college, we occasionally gave away stuff at the college radio station. One of my favorite games was when we spliced together parts of songs and made the listeners guess the name of the tune and the artist. Back in the late 70s/early 80s, a project like that could take hours. Through the miracle of digital editing, I can produce the same result in 15 minutes.

The game is called Fast Trax and every Friday (if I have time), I will post short clips of six songs and the answers to the previous week's competition. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to post to the comment section the name of each song and its artist. Spelling does not count, but may be ridiculed. Sorry, no prizes are available for the winner. Just a hardy congratulations. Good luck!

Fast Trax 1

Yesterday was a bittersweet day for yours truly.

The bitter part was watching Brett Favre announce his retirement from the Green Bay Packers and the NFL. All I can say is "Thanks, Brett!"

Now, on to the sweetness. In November, my niece will be getting married.

In her honor, here's a tune I haven't heard for a while, Billy Thorpe's "Children Of The Sun."

"I'll take Smoke Em If You Got Em for $100, Alex."

This legend fills in for another in Chi-town as he subs for Dick Biondi as evening personality on 94.7 Chicago's True Oldies Channel, through Tuesday.

Who is Fred Winston?

Sad news for Beatles fans as the Fab Four's original groundbreaking engineer and Pink Floyd producer Norman Smith passed away this past Monday. Smith was the engineer on all of the recordings by the Beatles until 1965 when EMI promoted him from engineer to producer. The last Beatles album he recorded was "Rubber Soul" and he engineered the sound for approximately 180 Beatles songs in all. Using his recording artist pseudonym of Hurricane Smith, he had a 1972 hit with "Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?."

As "The Motor City Madman" would say, "Anybody wants to get mellow, you can turn around and get the F*$@ outta here."

Sorry to oppose you, Ted, but we're going to feature an Unplugged set from some of my favorites. Until MTV did its unplugged series, I thought of unplugged as acoustic folk singers. That is clearly not the case. There's some great music being performed without all the amps and volume.

One song I wanted to add to the set list was "Born To Run" by Springsteen. The Boss was so horrific, I couldn't even listen to the whole song. What a huge disappointment.

R.I.P. Jeff Healey. I loved his performance in Road House, starring Patrick Swayze and Kelly Lynch.

"Not bad for a blind white boy." -- Dalton
"Yeah, and I thought you'd be bigger."-- Cody

Healey's new album, Mess of Blues, will be his first rock album in eight years and is due to be released next month. I don't have a cut from that LP, but here's one of my favs from Healey, "Confidence Man."

Happy 12th Birthday to jb @ The Hits Just Keep On Comin'. OK, he's really older than that, but he was born on a leap year and he only gets to celebrate his birthday on the actual day of his birth every four years.

Jim and I have known each other since our college days when we were partnered on the production staff at WSUP. When I go back to Wisconsin to visit my son, Jim and I try to get together for a brew or two. With his knowledge of music, he would be a great teammate on a trivia team.

If you ever get to Madtown on a weekend, catch Jim on 93.1 The Lake. You'll be glad you did.

My friend, make it a great day and crank this tune in honor of every Wild Night we all shared together at the 'Vous.

Since the extra day we get every four years is only an hour away, I thought this would be a good time to share a couple of special compilations.

Midnight Mix I

Midnight Mix II

The first mix and part of the second was from Lisa. The rest of II was from me.

Records Alert! Records Alert!

John Records Landecker and Turi Ryder, who've been marketing themselves as a talk show team, turn up as guest morning hosts all next week on west suburban Chicago WERV-FM (95.9), the NextMedia Group classic hits station known as The River.

(Credit to Robert Feder of the Chicago Sun-Times for the scoop.)

Interesting read over at The Hits Just Keep On Comin' from jb concerning Van Morrison and Prince utilizing Web Sheriff to keep any references to them off all websites. What a shame!

Caught in the middle is King Harvest, whose song "Dancing In The Moonlight" has a title similiar to but clearly not the same as Morrison's "Moondance." King Harvest WANTS their songs played on individual's websites.

In their honor, I will do just that times two.

"Dancing In The Moonlight" by King Harvest

"Dancing in The Moonlight" by Baha Men (better known for "Who Let The Dogs Out")

The Super Bowl Super Parties were off the hook. I ended up going to three...Leather and Lace 2008 on Friday at the Scottsdale Galleria Corporate Center, Playboy's Super Saturday Night at The Pavillion at Wild Horse Pass next to the Giants' hotel in Chandler, and The Sunday After-Party hosted by P. Diddy at the Glendale Civic Center.

The best of the trio was Playboy's mega-event. I met a Bunny from 1984 and she was still smokin'. One of the ladies she was talking with looked just like Stacy Keibler. I know it wasn't, but we all might be seeing a lot more of this Bunny-in-training in the not too distant future.

The highlight of my night was when I got to high-five Hef and The Girls Next Door when they came into the building. I picked the right table between the buffet and the back entrance and they walked right past me. Security looked pissed when I stuck out my hand, but there was little they could do. I also saw former Giant Tiki Barber and Craig Jackson of the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auctions, but missed Alyssa Milano and Candice Michelle.

Now that the Super Bowl has passed, it's time to focus on Valentine's Day. Get with that special someone and put on my hot Valentine Mix. It'll definitely get you in the mood for the dance of love.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Well, the Packers were upset by Los Gigantes and won't be in Glendale next weekend for Super Bowl XLII. That's okay. I'll still be partying like a rockstar with the Playboy Bunnies.

To get in the mood for the week of parties, here's my Freaky Mix. Can U dig it, P. Diddy?

Even if my beloved Packers make it to the big game in Glendale, Arizona, I don't plan to be at the stadium. However, I will be a VIP at the Playboy Super Party the night before hangin' with Hef and all the lovely ladies.

To get you in the mood for Super Bowl XLII, here's a mix of hip-hop music to start things off right.

Valentine's Day is less than a month away, so it's not too early for some love songs to prepare for the special event. This mix list is courtesy of one of my employees, Lisa.

Brother T and Shark, you were correct that the answer to my musical trivia question was Jim Croce. His widow Ingrid's restaurant, Croce's Restaurant & Jazz Bar, is an intimate establishment in the renovated Gaslamp district of downtown San Diego on the corner of Fifth and F Streets. I didn't make it for dinner and music, but stopped in for breakfast on the last Saturday of the year.

Farrell was my server and she was simply fantastic. Since the bartender was late for work, she made me a Grey Goose bloody mary, her first ever, and it was good. I remarked to Farrell that "the bartender was fired and you could make all the drinks." She told me she was going to give the bartender a hard time all day about it. The omelette I had to go with my bloody mary was tasty and the bill was a skosh under $20. Considering this was California, that's not too bad.

Pictures of Jim and his memorabilia were all over the place. The restaurant played his songs, but forgot to turn on the tape until after the joint had been open for about a half hour, so I only caught a couple of tunes. One was "Lover's Cross."

On my next trip back to SoCal, I'll be sure to catch dinner and the complimentary jazz and R&B show.

In case you were wondering, I watched football that Sunday at Whiskey Girl, next to Hooter's, in downtown Diego. Sitting at the bar, I was able to watch seven games at once for the early starts. The late game set featured the Chargers. After the Chargers' win, the bar played the team's theme song, "San Diego Super Chargers." If I NEVER here that song again, it will be too soon. It's god-awful!

Give me The Wizenhiemer's and "Go Pack Go" anytime. Time to fry up some Seahawks on Saturday!

My New Year's trip to San Diego has been an adventure, even before I get there tonight.

My friend, Shark, was supposed to have joined me to broadcast two Platteville Pioneers men's basketball games, but was unable to make the trip.

Then, my mom, who was going to drive over to see her sister, went into the hospital on Christmas Eve and almost forced me to cancel the trip altogether. Thankfully, she was released yesterday and insisted I fly over and enjoy myself.

However, the part of the trip I'm really looking forward to, besides watching the Packers on Sunday at yet another Hooter's, is having dinner at a special restaurant and jazz club featuring the music of a famous late musician, run by his widow. I plan to write a full review of the music and food when I return, but to tantalize your curiosity, I will withhold the name of the establishment until then.

The only clues I will afford are:
1. She was a member of The Rumrunners.
2. He attended Villanova University.
3. They moved to San Diego in August 1973.
4. He died in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

Number 4 should be the one that gives up his identity. I'm confident that someone (Shark, jb, Jeff or another music expert) will correctly guess the name of this South Philly native. Did I just give another hint?

Have a Happy New Year!

As I was thinking about Christmas this year, my mind wandered to my record collection and I remembered an album my parents gave me called "The Great Songs of Christmas." This vinyl classic is circa 1967 and number eight of a nine record set. It features 14 great artists, including Andy Williams, Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence, Tony Bennett, and The New Christy Minstrels. I thought it would be a nice gift to track it and share it with you. Merry Christmas!

R.I.P. Dan Fogelberg. You will be missed.

About a week ago, one of my employees asked me to make her a cd of music. Her list was filled with urban hip/hop and r&b. I knew most of the artists, but few of the songs. After I listened to the tunes, I really got into it and decided to make a podcast out of it. I call it Alicia's Mix.

BTW, I think R. Kelly has the right idea on "Double Up." ;)------

The Material Girl is about to become a Hall of Famer. The ever-evolving Madonna was announced as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee on Thursday along with John Mellencamp, The Ventures, Leonard Cohen and The Dave Clark Five. A panel of 600 industry figures selected the five acts to be inducted at the annual ceremony, to be held March 10 in New York.

Breaking news...Ike Turner is dead. Tina can sleep better at night. More info as it becomes available.

Last night, I tuned into WWE RAW for the first time in a very long time. I used to be a huge wrestling fan. The three reasons I watched were: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Trish Stratus, and Sunny.

I can't say enough about Sunny. She has been away from the WWE for almost a decade, but Tammy Lynn Sytch, her real name, just celebrated her 35th birthday and scorched my TV screen in her brief appearance.

If the WWE brought back Sunny, Trish or Stone Cold full time, I might return as a fan.

Check out the Edison Music Research company's list of most- and least-liked Christmas tunes:

Most
1. The Christmas Song / Nat King Cole
2. White Christmas / Bing Crosby
3. Do You Hear What I Hear / Johnny Mathis
4. Holly Jolly Christmas / Burl Ives
5. Little Drummer Boy / Harry Simeone Chorale

Least
1. Jingle Bells / Singing Dogs
2. O Holy Night / Cartman
3. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer / Elmo & Patsy
4. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town / Jackson 5
5. Jingle Bells / Barbra Streisand

Feel free to leave a comment about your thoughts on Christmas music.

Between work and school, I'm taking online courses to complete my Business degree at UW-Platteville, my schedule has prevented me from posting more often. After watching part of Christmas Vacation yesterday, I knew I couldn't go through the holiday season without at least one offering of songs. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, whatever trips your trigger. Remember, this isn't your parents' Christmas music. Or is it?

If you'd like to enjoy last year again, here's Christmas 2006.

(A quick note about "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch." It was recorded by Thurl Ravenscroft, better known to many as the voice of Kellogg's Corn Flakes icon Tony the Tiger. The late Ravenscroft was also an active member of The Johnny Mann Singers.)