Rare & Scratchy Rock 'n Roll Podcast

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_098 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF GARY LEWIS & THE PLAYBOYS This episode salutes an act that achieved a feat that such then-contemporary groups as the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, and Four Seasons never matched. They were one of just two acts during the 1960s whose first seven 45s reached the top 10 on Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100 singles chart.  It’s a group that got a lot of help from some very talented collaborators, plus some of the leading rock and pop songwriters of the 1960s.  One of the members had a famous father, and that contributed to the group’s success, relatively speaking.  That band also recorded the only rock and roll dance number named after a breakfast cereal. We’ll serve you a taste of that tune. We're talking about Gary Lewis & The Playboys. And our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be talking with Gary Lewis – our special guest for this episode. It’s the complete hit singles history of Gary Lewis & The Playboys. Plus, Rad

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_097 – CANADIAN ROCKERS WITH TOP 40 HIT SINGLES IN THE U.S. - 1955-1994 This edition spotlights “Top 40 U.S. Hit Singles Imported From Canada During The First 40 Years Of Rock & Roll” – 1955 to 1994.  We’ve received many requests from listeners to do an episode on Canadian rock acts, and we’re playin’ what you’re sayin.” One of those “Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll” fans is Canadian Mike Drew, a former music journalist. We asked him to be our special guest for this show. He’ll provide some interesting insights about the Canada’s contributions to U.S. rock and roll.  Along the way, we’ll hear from a 1950s rockabilly act that evolved into Bob Dylan’s backup band and eventually found its own great fame in the 1960s and 1970s. Then there are some American-born performers who moved to Canada and achieved great success when they exported their music back to the U.S.  Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be along with lots of fascinating factoids. And Radio Dave will

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_096 – “COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF CARL PERKINS" This episode spotlights a legendary singer/songwriter/guitar stylist who’s known as the King of Rockabilly, as well as the Godfather of Rock & Roll. He’s Carl Perkins. This is an episode several of our “Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll” listeners have requested, and we’re thrilled to be presenting it. We’ll spotlight all of Carl Perkins’ hit singles, along with the remakes of those songs that were charted by other singers. We’ll also cover his connections with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and especially, his life-long collaborations with Johnny Cash. Plus the Beatles. Carl Perkins overcame multiple personal hardships to achieve his special place in music history. These included a major hit song he wrote for Johnny Cash that was inspired by Carl’s recovery from alcoholism. It marked his comeback after the many years of failed record sales that followed his initial hits. Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsc

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_095 – "THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF MOTOWN RECORDS – 64 HIT SINGLES" – The Motown Sound helped define the music of a generation during the company’s heyday in the 1960s and early 1970s. The Motown family of labels has been celebrated in television specials, stage musicals, and Hollywood movies.  You may recall that “Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll” episodes #4 and #5 presented a two-part alternative history of Motown Records – with little known stories about one of the biggest hit-making studios in popular music history. Now, we’ll revisit the five-year period that encompassed its founding in 1959 through 1963 – just before its explosive growth and domination of the rock charts for more than a decade.  Some early Motown releases featured emerging superstars. Others were performed by acts that subsequently faded into obscurity. The Beatles named one of these budding performers as their favorite female singer.  Motown charted 64 rock and rhythm & blues singles from 1959 to 1

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_094 – "THE LOST TOP 40 HITS OF 1972" –  This episode spotlights 40 lost hits from the year 1972. These include top 40 tunes radio stations no longer play – by major artists such as Carole King, Three Dog Night, Ringo Starr, Neil Diamond, The 5th Dimension, Wayne Newton, Curtis Mayfield, and The Bee Gees, among others.  We’ll present the only active-duty armed forces military band to march its way onto the top 40 rock charts, and sample the biggest hit single based on a soft drink commercial.  We’ll also hear from a U.K. solo singer who adopted the name of a legendary American pioneer for his performing persona.  Only two top 40 songs were ever named after famous paintings, and one of those made our lost hits of 1972 list.  Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, was a rock station program director that year, and he’ll be along to relate how different top 40 radio programming was way back then.  Hear it all – and much, much more all right here.  

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL – WOODSTOCK MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL – 50TH ANNIVERSARY ROCKUMENTARY This episode salutes the 50th Anniversary of the largest and most famous rock and roll concert ever – Woodstock – August 15 through August 18, 1969.  We’ll sample one song each from the acts who performed there. These include an artist who was six months pregnant when she sang her set. And the superstar who smashed his guitar on the back of a political activist who tried to disrupt his group’s gig. Then there’s the band whose turn to play came so late at night that hundreds of thousands in the audience slept through it.  Hear about the acts that were invited to perform, but declined, canceled, or didn’t show up at all.  Throughout this episode, our resident Rockolgist, Ken Deutsch, has comments from Donna Surface, a primary production assistant for one of the founders and impresarios of the entire event. Ken also will have some groovy and far out factoids, and your "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N Roll host, Rad

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_092 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF ROCK NELSON – PART 2 This is the second of two episodes saluting one of the most famous names in rock and roll history – Rick Nelson.  Our first episode tracked his trajectory from child actor to rock star. Now we’ll spotlight the second half of his career, as he gradually evolved from being a fading teen idol to reinventing himself as a county-rock pioneer and an accomplished composer. This includes the true-life story behind one of his biggest records of all time.  We’ll sample all of his remaining hit singles and present the original versions of any of those songs that inspired Rick to revive them in his own style.  Then there’s Rick Nelson’s acting career. That continued to develop at the same time his music was finding new horizons. Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be along to report on that, along with other fascinating perspectives on Rick Nelson’s career and musical legacy.  And your "Rare & Scratchy Rock 'N

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_091 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF RICK NELSON – PART 1 This is the first of two episodes saluting one of the most famous names in rock and roll history. His early recordings were a mixture of rock and roll, rockabilly, and gentle ballad styles. In later years, he was a pioneer in the genre of country rock. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, his success rivaled contemporary stars such as Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, and Fats Domino.  He’s Ricky Nelson – or as he later called himself – Rick Nelson.  In our two-part retrospective, we’ll spotlight all of his hit singles. And we’ll track his trajectory from child actor to rock and roll stardom.  Many of Ricky Nelson’s hits were remakes of big band songs from the 1920s and 30s, country and western numbers from the 1940s, and rhythm and blues and rockabilly recordings from the 1950s. We’ll sample those originals, too.  Our resident, Rockologist Ken Deutsch, will be along with lots of fascinating factoids. And your "Rare

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_090 – 20TH CENTURY HIT SINGLES ABOUT MOTORCYCLES  Rev up your sound system, because we’re popping the clutch on hit  singles with a biker theme during the 20th century. We’ll also road test some terrific two-wheel tunes that didn’t chart, along with selected hit album cuts about motorcycles that got great mileage on radio station playlists.  Along the way, we’ll hear from the only motorcycle gang to appear on a hit 45, plus the only motorcycle song to be #1 hit single. We’ll also re-cycle melodies about some of the most famous motorbikes of all time – including the only two makes that were the subject of hit singles saluting them.   And there’s more. Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, revisits some Hollywood motorcycle movies of the 1950s and 1960s – and recalls their impact on rock and roll.  And we’ll also take a ride on the 1970s theme for the only 20th century prime time television series about a biker.  It’s the greatest musical motorcycle rally on record.

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_089 – "THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF ROY ORBISON – PART 2"  This is the second of two episodes saluting one of the most unique and enduring talents in rock and roll history – Roy Orbison. He recorded hits in four decades – the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. And his posthumous platters also charted in the 1990s and remain big sellers to this very day. During our Roy Orbison retrospective, we’ll sample all of his hit singles, plus the original versions by artists who inspired him. Then you’ll hear the charted remakes of his hits by other singers. And we’ll revisit hits he wrote expressly for other performers This episode covers the last decades of his career with a particular focus on his triumph over multiple personal tragedies. Our resident Rockologist Ken Deutsch will spotlight Roy Orbison’s movie career and interview one of Roy’s sons – Roy Orbison, Junior, who’ll offer some insights into the unique performing persona his father projected and the living legacy his fa

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_088 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES CAREER OF ROY ORBISON This is the first of two episodes saluting one of the most unique and enduring talents in rock and roll history. He recorded hits in four decades – the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. And his posthumous platters also charted in the 1990s. He’s best known for his soaring voice, but it’s not well known that he composed or co-composed most of his own hit songs. He’s Roy Orbison. During our Roy Orbison retrospective, we’ll sample all of his hit singles, plus the original versions by artists who inspired him. Then you’ll hear the charted remakes of his hits by other singers. And we’ll revisit hits he wrote expressly for other performers We’ll also spotlight Roy Orbison’s special connections with Pat Boone, Buddy Holly, Conway Twitty, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles, among many others.  And our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be along with more history about Roy Orbison’s ca

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL_087 – "THE LOST TOP 40 HITS OF 1980" –   This episode spotlights 40 lost hits from 1980. These include top 40 tunes radio stations no longer play – by major artists such as Elton John, Donna Summer, Carly Simon, Bob Seger, The Jacksons, Pete Townshend, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, and Dan Fogelberg, among many others.  We’ll relate the story of a song that was a top 20 hit twice – the first time when it debuted in 1980 and nine years later in 1989 when it was re-issued. And we’ll hear from the only artist in Grammy history to win all four of that competition’s general field awards – Best Album, Record, Song, and New Artist – in the same year.  Then there’s the singer who carried on the top 40 hit making tradition of his late father and uncle. They were both rock and roll pioneers from Memphis who worked at the same electric company as Elvis Presley – long before they all became stars.  So, get your ears in gear for forty forgotten top 40 hits from a fabulous rock and

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL _086 – "JAILHOUSE ROCKERS (SINGERS WITH HIT RECORDS & POLICE RECORDS)" This episode spotlights Jailhouse Rockers. These are performers with police records as well as hit records. Many served jail sentences. Others only received probation. A few got off with just a fine.  And one died while his penitentiary term was still pending an appeal.  The collective criminal charges against them ranged from drug possession and trafficking to drunk driving, public indecency, tax evasion, insurance fraud, extortion, robbery, kidnapping, child pornography, child molestation, rape, assault, weapons charges, and even murder.  As we recite some of their bad deeds, we’ll also sample some of their good music. Those are two things they all had in common. And that’s the way we’ll present them.  Our rockumentary also includes arresting facts about some rap stars whose rhymes we can’t fit into our song snippet format. And our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, interviews Craig Tobin, a litig

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL _085 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF PAUL ANKA - PART 2 This is the second of two episodes saluting one of the most successful and enduring singer/songwriters in rock and pop music history. His recordings span more than seven decades. He’s also composed hit records for several other artists, including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, and the 5th Dimension. He’s Paul Anka. During the course of our Paul Anka retrospective, we’ll sample all of his hit singles, plus the original versions by artists who inspired him. Then you’ll hear the charted 45 RPM remakes of his hits by other singers. And we’ll revisit hits he wrote expressly for other performers. This “Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll” edition spotlights Paul Anka’s special connections with Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson. And our rockologist, Ken Deutsch presents more of his personal interview with Paul Anka in which the artist sits next to Ken on his piano bench and sings a 1974 hit right in hi

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_084 – PART 1 OF A 2-PART ROCKUMENTARY ON THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF PAUL ANKA This is the first of two episodes saluting one of the most successful and enduring singer/songwriters in rock and pop music history. His recordings span more than seven decades. He’s also composed hit records for several other artists, as well as one of the most famous television show themes of all time. He’s Paul Anka. During the course of our Paul Anka retrospective, we’ll sample all of his hit singles, plus the original versions by artists who inspired him. Then you’ll hear the charted 45 RPM remakes of his hits by other singers. And we’ll revisit hits he wrote expressly for other performers On this edition of Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll, we’ll spotlight Paul Anka’s special connections with Annette Funicello, Buddy Holly, Connie Francis, and Johnny Carson. And rockologist Ken Deutsch presents a personal interview with Paul Anka in which the artist sits next to Ken on his piano benc

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #083 PRESENTS "30 FEMINIST HIT SINGLES BEFORE THEIR TIME" Feminine pride and empowerment are common themes in the rock, pop, and rhythm & blues hits of the 20th century – especially in recent years. But there were fewer such hit records in earlier eras. This episode remembers 30 songs with feminist messages that were played on the radio long before their time – the decades of the 1950s through the 1990s.  Ironically, almost all of these tunes were composed or co-composed by men, and we’ll conjecture as to the reasons why. Even so, these musical messages had a strong and positive impact. Our resident Rockologist, Ken Deutsch, will be along to interview a special guest for this episode – Patricia Brown Holmes. Judge Holmes is the first African-American woman to become the managing partner of a national law firm. She’ll relate how this music inspired her and other women to achieve great things.  And Radio Dave will have more of the greatest rock and roll stories on record.

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL EPISODE #_082 – 50 LOST TOP 40 BRITISH INVASION ACTS Say the words, “British Invasion,” and everyone recalls the Beatles, the Dave Clark 5, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, Herman’s Hermits, the Hollies, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, the Animals, Donovan, Gerry & The Pacemakers, the Yardbirds, and the Bee Gees, for example. Their songs are still played on U.S. radio stations. But forgotten by many is an earlier British invasion. It coincided with the launch of the so-called rock and roll era in 1955. It preceded the Beatles and the other mid-1960s U.K. artists who dominated the U.S. music scene. Those earlier U.K. rockers scored many big hit singles that also have vanished from your favorite oldies stations. This “Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll” episode salutes 50 lost Top 40 acts from both the 1950s and 1960s waves of the British invasion. They’re all part of the greatest rock and roll stories on record, and you’ll hear them here.

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL _081 – THE COMPLETE HIT SINGLES HISTORY OF LITTLE RICHARD This episode pays tribute to one of rock and roll’s most flamboyant pioneers and pop icons. Although he’s best known for his many 1950s hits, he continued to make the rock and rhythm & blues charts for another four decades.  Throughout his career, he was conflicted by his devout Christian faith and his love for secular music. And for a while, he retired from show business to become a minister. Eventually, he combined both callings.  Once nicknamed the “Hepcat From Hell,” he openly challenged Elvis Presley for the title, “King Of Rock & Roll.” He’s Little Richard. We’ll sample all of his hit singles, the original versions by other artists that he emulated, and the charted 45 rpm remakes of his songs by other singers, such as Pat Boone, Bill Haley & His Comets, and Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, among others. Plus Little Richard’s hit connections with Jimi Hendrix, Billy Preston, Quincy Jones, Cann

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_080 – THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED – THE LAST CONCERT BY BUDDY HOLLY, J.P. "THE BIG BOPPER" RICHARDSON & RITCHIE VALENS  This episode pays tribute to Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson & Ritchie Valens whose tragic deaths in a plane crash occurred on February 3rd, 1959. It’s been called the day the music died.  We believe the best way to honor them is to reconstruct, as much as we can, the set-list they and the other artists – Frankie Sardo, as well as Dion & The Belmonts, performed with them at their final concert in Clear Lake, Iowa the previous night – February 2nd. Our very own “Rare & Scratchy Rock ‘N Roll” host emeritus, Al Mitchell, was a teenager in 1959. And he was at that dance party. You’ll hear his remembrances. We’ve also found some radio broadcasts from the following morning that reported the sad news.  And we’ll sample some tribute tunes that were quickly issued in the aftermath of the crash as eulogies to all three singers.  So, com

RARE & SCRATCHY ROCK 'N ROLL #_079  – THE TOP 40 LOST HITS OF 1976 – This episode spotlights 40 lost hits from 1976. These include top 40 tunes radio stations no longer play – by major artists such as Stevie Wonder, the Electric Light Orchestra, Elton John, and the Beach Boys, among others.  We’ll salute a legendary disco star who was also an acclaimed painter. And we’ll reveal another disco diva, who left nothing to the imagination in her other profession as a pornographic pictures star. Plus, we’ll showcase three super-hit television themes, including one that was named after a famed Olympics gold medal winner.  A musician, singer, record producer, and composer who was Buddy Holly’s best friend, penned a #1 rhythm & blues hit. That story and that song are part of this episode, too, along with the only Top 10 tune ever about a dog during the rock and roll era.  So, get your ears in gear for forty forgotten top 40 hits from a fabulous rock and roll year – 1976.