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ARLENE KOZAK PASSES

(Baltimore) - Arlene Kozak, chief assistant for the entire run of the Buddy Deane TV show in Baltimore and local dance and cruise promoter, died Tuesday night of complications from lung cancer. She was 72.

The former Arlene DiDonato was working in a musical one stop store handling record orders and monitoring sales when she met WITH morning DJ Buddy Deane in the mid-50's. A professional relationship quickly developed between the two, as Buddy Deane was the first Baltimore DJ to play rock and roll music and he was impressed by Arlene's accuracy in predicting and monitoring hit records. Several years later, Mr. Deane began his legendary run on Baltimore's WJZ-TV as host of a 6 days a week dance show with the emphasis on the Top 40 hits of the day. Mrs. Kozak became the chief assistant on 'The Buddy Deane Show'. As the show caught on with Baltimore viewers, Arlene's duties expanded to oversight of the regular dancers, known as 'the Committee'. Arlene also handled the crush of record promoters who would visit the station every weekday to pitch their product in hopes of getting airplay on the program. As Arlene once recalled, 'Buddy asked me to come up with a system to bring some order to the situation. It was decided to limit the time for promotion people to see Buddy to between 1 and 2 hours a day, depending on our schedule. That time was usually between 11 and 1. Buddy would have a small phonograph player in his office, and the men would go in one at a time, pitch their records, and leave so the next one could come in.'

In the early 60's, Arlene married Joseph Kozak. The two met through Joe's position as a record promoter. When the show was cancelled by WJZ in 1963, Arlene took a position with Donnelly Advertising, a Baltimore company that handled billboards and local yellow page listings.

Arlene kept the committee members together for decades after the show's end. She would host large dances drawing crowds of up to 1500 people. These affairs would reunite the committee members and fans of the show. Buddy Deane would fly in from Arkansas to host the events. In the mid and late 90's, Arlene hosted a series of Carribean cruises involving Deane and a series of performers, including Ronnie Dove. For many years, Arlene served as local liaison for Mr. Deane, handling media requests and queries for Deane's involvement in local fund-raising charities.

Mrs. Kozak loved sharing stories about celebrities who appeared on the program during 1957-64. Her personal favorites were Bobby Darin and Joni James. She also related interesting anecdotes about other performers who made appearances, including actors such as Robert Conrad and George Maharis, and recording artists Brenda Lee and Bobby Rydell.

Mrs. Kozak is survived by her husband Joe, sons Mark & Tony, and 6 grandchildren.
15-Mar-07

BIG BOPPER AUTOPSY CONFIRMS CAUSE OF DEATH

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson suffered massive fractures and likely died immediately in the 1959 plane crash that also killed early rock 'n' rollers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens, a forensic anthropologist said Tuesday after exhuming the body. The performer's son, Jay Richardson, hired Dr. Bill Bass, a well-known forensic anthropologist at the University of Tennessee, to look at the remains in Beaumont, Texas. There have been rumors a gun might have been fired on board the plane and that the Big Bopper might have survived the crash and died trying to get help. Bass took X-rays of the body and found nothing Tuesday to support those theories. "There was no indication of foul play," Bass said in a telephone interview from Beaumont. "There are fractures from head to toe. Massive fractures. ... (He) died immediately. He didn't crawl away. He didn't walk away from the plane." The rock 'n' roll stars' plane crashed after taking off from Mason City, Iowa, on February 3, 1959 -- a tragedy memorialized as "the day the music died" in Don McLean's song "American Pie." Jay Richardson, who performs in tribute shows as "The Big Bopper Jr.," didn't know his father, who gained fame with the hit "Chantilly Lace." His mother was pregnant with him when his father died. The Civil Aeronautics Board determined pilot error was the cause of the crash. A gun that belonged to Holly was found at the crash site, fueling rumors that the pilot was shot, but no one has ever proved a gun was fired during the flight. Richardson watched Bass open the coffin on Tuesday and observed his examination. He said he was pleased with the findings because it proved the investigators "knew what they were talking about 48 years ago." "I was hoping to put the rumors to rest," he said. Bass and Richardson were surprised to find the body preserved enough to be recognizable. "Dad still amazes me 48 years after his death, that he was in remarkable shape," Richardson said. "I surprised myself. I handled it better than I thought I would." The body was reburied in the cemetery but in a different plot where there will be room for a graveside statue to be installed later. Bass, 78, is a pioneer in his field and has worked on such famous cases as confirming the identity of the Lindbergh baby that was kidnapped in 1932 and murdered.
07-Mar-07

BALTIMORE OLDIES DANCE - JUNE 2, 2007

All are invited to attend the 'Committee Reunion Record Hop'! The date is Saturday June 2, 2007 from 8 until midnight. Bob Mathers of Ultimate Oldies Radio (and formerly of WITH, WQSR & WAMD) will be host and DJ for the event.

The event will be held at the Wells-McComas Post 2678, 6251 North Point Road in Edgemere, Maryland. The facility is situated just off I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) near the Key Bridge.

The music will be strictly 50's and 60's dance favorites. Tickets are $25.00 each and include lite beer, wine, soda, chips and pretzels.

For more information, call dance coordinator Joe Loverde at 1-410-788-9995, or email him at joe@realtyconcept.com.

Please mail your check along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to DANCE, P.O. Box 21206, Catonsville, Maryland 21228.
27-Feb-07

FRANKIE LAINE DIES AT 93

ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES — Frankie Laine, the big-voiced singer whose string of hits made him one of the most popular entertainers of the 1950s, died today. He was 93. Laine died of heart failure at Mercy Hospital in San Diego, Jimmy Marino, Laine’s producer of more than a dozen years, told The Associated Press. “He was one of the greatest singers around,” Marino said. “He was one of the last Italian crooners type.” With songs such as “That’s My Desire,” “Mule Train,” “Jezebel,” “I Believe” and “That Lucky Old Sun,” Laine was a regular feature of the Top Ten in the years just before rock ’n’ roll ushered in a new era of popular music. Somewhat younger listeners may remember him best for singing the theme to the television show “Rawhide,” which ran from 1959 to 1966, and the theme for the 1974 movie “Blazing Saddles.” He sold more than 100 million records and earned more than 20 gold records. “He will be forever remembered for the beautiful music he brought into this world, his wit and sense of humor, along with the love he shared with so many,” Laine’s family said in a statement. Laine said his musical influences included Bing Crosby, Al Jolson and jazz artists including Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holliday. “When people nowadays say that Elvis was the first white guy to sound black, I have to shake my head; what can you do?” he said in a 1987 interview. “At the time of ’That’s My Desire,’ they were saying that I was the only white guy around who sounded black.” He occasionally recorded songs by country singers, such as “Hey Good Lookin’” and “Your Cheatin’ Heart” by Hank Williams. In 2004 he released an album called “Nashville Connection.” Laine’s variety show “Frankie Laine Time” ran for two summers, 1955 and 1956, on CBS, and he also appeared in films including “When You’re Smiling,” and “Sunny Side of the Street.” He had a top 25 hit on the Billboard charts in 1969 with “You Gave Me a Mountain,” a song written by Marty Robbins. Laine was born Frank LoVecchio on March 30, 1913, in Chicago, the son of a barber who emigrated from Sicily. He struggled from his teens until well into his 30s — even having to earn a living as a marathon dancer — before hits began coming his way with “That’s My Desire” in 1947. His breakthrough came when Hoagy Carmichael heard him sing in a Los Angeles nightclub and praised his work. “People like to say, ’Oh, I wouldn’t change a thing,’” he said in an interview for the book “Off the Record: An Oral History of Popular Music.” “But if I had it to do over again, there is one thing I would change. I would make it happen maybe 10 years sooner. “Ten years is a good stretch of scuffling. But I scuffled for 17 years before it happened, and 17 is a bit much.” In recent years, he remained active in touring and in charity fundraising. Punning on the title of one of his hits, he called his 1993 autobiography “That Lucky Old Son.” He was married to Nan Grey, a leading lady in Hollywood films of the 1930s who died in 1993. Survivors include his second wife, Marcia; a brother; and two daughters.
06-Feb-07

BENEFIT CONCERT IN CINCINNATI FOR DENNIS YOST

DENNIS' WEBSITE IS www.classicsiv.com

On Monday, July 11th, 2006, Dennis Yost, lead singer of The Classics IV, took a serious fall and hit his head. He was flown by medi-copter and admitted to the emergency room at a local hospital with serious brain trauma. Since that time, Dennis has been in and out of a coma, treated at 9 separate facilities and undergone a great amount of rehabilitation while continuing his battle to get back to the soulful performer he is known for. In this time, the medical bills have grown and remain a terrible burden for his wife, Linda, who has exhausted all other means to pay this increasing debt.

To help assist the Yosts, a benefit concert will be held on March 25th, in Cincinnati to raise money for Dennis' medical costs. Starting at 3 p.m., RHINO'S LIVE will be the location for this wonderful event, which so far has drawn a number of your favorite oldies artists performing for this cause:

LARRY HENLEY of THE NEWBEATS ("Bread and Butter") DIAMOND DAVE SOMERVILLE of THE DIAMONDS ("Little Darlin'") JOEY MOLLAND of BADFINGER ("Day After Day") OTIS WILLIAMS & THE CHARMS ("Heart of Stone") CARL EDMONSON & THE CASINOS ("Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye") GRETCHEN CHRISTOPHER of THE FLEETWOODS ("Mr. Blue," "Come Softly To Me") CLIFFORD CURRY ("She Shot A Hole in My Soul") FRANKIE FORD ("Sea Cruise") TONY BUTALA of THE LETTERMEN ("When I Fall In Love") JIMMY BEAUMONT & THE SKYLINERS ("Since I Don't Have You")

JOE G, lead singer of THE ZIPPITY DOO WOP BAND, the official tribute to Del Shannon, as well as DENNIS YOST'S predecessor for THE CLASSICS IV, will also be performing in honor of Dennis.

Many artists were unavailable to perform at the event, but were gracious enough to donate some memorabilia that will be auctioned off. Some of the artists include:

JOEY DEE of THE STARLIGHTERS ("Peppermint Twist") JOHNNY TILLOTSON MIKE PINERA of BLUES IMAGE & IRON BUTTERFLY ("Ride Captain Ride") JIMMIE RODGERS ("Kisses Sweeter Than Wine") RON DANTE of THE ARCHIES & CUFFLINKS ("Sugar Shack," "Tracy") SONNY GERACI ("Time Won't Let Me," "Precious & Few") PAT UPTON ("More Today Than Yesterday") FABIAN ("Turn Me Loose") BOBBY VEE ("Devil or Angel," "Come Back When You Grow Up Girl") JAY & THE TECHNIQUES ("Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie") THE MYSTICS ("Hushabye") BERTIE HIGGINS ("Key Largo," "Just Another Day in Paradise") RHINO'S LIVE 11473 CHESTER RD SHARONVILLE, OHIO www.rhinosbg.com

More details, including how to purchase advance tickets and directions to the venue, will be coming soon. In the meantime, if you would like to make a donation to help the Yosts or have a card, letter or prayer you'd like to share, you may mail it to:

THE CLASSICS IV PO BOX 581 Slingerlands, NY 12159

Everything received will be read to Dennis by his wife, Linda.
04-Feb-07

JAMES BROWN DEAD AT 73

AP - December 25, 2006 - ATLANTA - James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured “Godfather of Soul,” whose revolutionary rhythms, rough voice and flashing footwork influenced generations of musicians from rock to rap, died early Christmas morning. He was 73. Brown was hospitalized with pneumonia at Emory Crawford Long Hospital on Sunday and died of heart failure around 1:45 a.m. Monday, said his agent, Frank Copsidas of Intrigue Music. He initially seemed fine at the hospital and even told people that he planned to be on stage in New York on New Year’s Eve, Copsidas said. Brown was one of the major musical influences of the past 50 years. From Mick Jagger to Michael Jackson, David Bowie to Public Enemy, Brown’s rapid-footed dancing, hard-charging beats and heartfelt yet often unintelligible vocals changed the musical landscape. He was to rhythm and dance music what Bob Dylan was to lyrics. ‘James Brown changed music’ “He was an innovator, he was an emancipator, he was an originator. Rap music, all that stuff came from James Brown,” entertainer Little Richard, a longtime friend of Brown’s, told MSNBC. “James Brown changed music,” said Rev. Al Sharpton, who toured with him in the 1970s and imitates his hairstyle to this day. “He made soul music a world music,” Sharpton said. “What James Brown was to music in terms of soul and hip-hop, rap, all of that, is what Bach was to classical music. This is a guy who literally changed the music industry. He put everybody on a different beat, a different style of music. He pioneered it.” Brown’s classic singles include “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag,” “(Get Up I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine,” “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Say It Loud — I’m Black and I’m Proud,” a landmark 1968 statement of racial pride. “I clearly remember we were calling ourselves colored, and after the song, we were calling ourselves black,” Brown told The Associated Press in 2003. “The song showed even people to that day that lyrics and music and a song can change society.” He won a Grammy for lifetime achievement in 1992, as well as Grammys in 1965 for “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (best R&B recording) and for “Living In America” in 1987 (best R&B vocal performance, male.) He was one of the initial artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, along with Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and other founding fathers. Brown, who lived in Beech Island, S.C., near the Georgia line, triumphed despite a turbulent personal life and charges of abusing drugs and alcohol. After a widely publicized, drug-fueled confrontation with police in 1988 that ended in an interstate car chase, Brown spent more than two years in prison for aggravated assault and failing to stop for a police officer. ‘The Hardest Working Man in Show Business’ From the 1950s, when Brown had his first R&B hit, “Please, Please, Please” in 1956, through the mid-1970s, Brown went on a frenzy of cross-country tours, concerts and new songs. He earned the nickname “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business” and often tried to prove it to his fans, said Jay Ross, his lawyer of 15 years. Brown’s stage act was as memorable, and as imitated, as his records, with his twirls and spins and flowing cape, his repeated faints to the floor at the end as band members tried in vain to get him to leave the stage. His “Live at The Apollo” in 1962 is widely considered one of the greatest concert records ever. And he often talked of the 1964 concert in which organizers made the mistake of having the Rolling Stones, not him, close the bill. He would remember a terrified Mick Jagger waiting offstage, chain smoking, as Brown pulled off his matchless show. “To this day, there has been no one near as funky. No one’s coming even close,” rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy once told the AP. Brown routinely lost two or three pounds each time he performed and kept his furious concert schedule in his later years even as he fought prostate cancer, Ross said. With his tight pants, shimmering feet, eye makeup and outrageous hair, Brown set the stage for younger stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince. And the early rap generation overwhelmingly sampled his music and voice as they laid the foundation of hip-hop culture. “Disco is James Brown, hip-hop is James Brown, rap is James Brown; you know what I’m saying? You hear all the rappers, 90 percent of their music is me,” Brown told The AP in 2003. ‘I wanted to be somebody’ Born in poverty in Barnwell, S.C., in 1933, Brown was abandoned as a 4 year old to the care of relatives and friends. He grew up on the streets of Augusta, Ga., in an “ill-repute area,” as he once called it, where he learned how to hustle to survive. “I wanted to be somebody,” Brown said. By the eighth grade in 1949, Brown had served 3 1/2 years in Alto Reform School near Toccoa, Ga., for breaking into cars. While there, he met Bobby Byrd, whose family took Brown into their home. Byrd also took Brown into his group, the Gospel Starlighters. Soon they changed their name to the Famous Flames and their style to hard R&B. In January 1956, King Records of Cincinnati signed the group, and four months later “Please, Please, Please” was in the R&B Top Ten. Pete Allman, a radio personality in Las Vegas who had been friends with Brown for 15 years, credited Brown with jump-starting his career and motivating him personally and professionally. “He was a very positive person. There was no question he was the hardest working man in show business,” Allman said. “I remember Mr. Brown as someone who always motivated me, got me reading the Bible.” While most of Brown’s life was glitz and glitter — he was the manic preacher in 1980’s “The Blues Brothers” — he was plagued with charges of abusing drugs and alcohol and of hitting his third wife, Adrienne. In September 1988, Brown, high on PCP and carrying a shotgun, entered an insurance seminar next to his Augusta office. Police said he asked seminar participants if they were using his private restroom. Police chased Brown for a half-hour from Augusta into South Carolina and back to Georgia. The chase ended when police shot out the tires of his truck. Brown received a six-year prison sentence. He spent 15 months in a South Carolina prison and 10 months in a work release program before being paroled in February 1991. In 2003, the South Carolina parole board granted him a pardon for his crimes in that state. Performing until the end Soon after his release, Brown was on stage again with an audience that included millions of cable television viewers nationwide who watched the three-hour, pay-per-view concert at Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles. Adrienne Brown died in 1996 in Los Angeles at age 47. She took PCP and several prescription drugs while she had a bad heart and was weak from cosmetic surgery two days earlier, the coroner said. More recently, he married his fourth wife, Tomi Raye Hynie, one of his backup singers. The couple had a son, James Jr. Two years later, Brown spent a week in a private Columbia hospital, recovering from what his agent said was dependency on painkillers. Brown’s attorney, Albert “Buddy” Dallas, said the singer was exhausted from six years of road shows. Brown was performing to the end, and giving back to his community. Three days before his death, he joined volunteers at his annual toy giveaway in Augusta, and he planned to perform on New Year’s Eve at B.B. King Blues Club in New York. “He was dramatic to the end — dying on Christmas Day,” said the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a friend of Brown’s since 1955. “Almost a dramatic, poetic moment. He’ll be all over the news all over the world today. He would have it no other way.” Brown is survived by at least four children — two daughters and sons Daryl and James Brown III, Copsidas said. Friends were making flight arrangements Monday to come to Atlanta to determine how to memorialize Brown, Copsidas said.
25-Dec-06

FAVORITE 100 HITS COUNTDOWN

Ultimate Oldies Radio is soliciting your top 10 favorite oldies of all time for inclusion in the First Annual UOR Favorite 100 Hits Of All Time. The program will be posted for listening during the last week of 2006, We hope you'll email your top 10 today to bobmathers@hotmail.com. We ask that all lists be submitted by December 20th. Come on and be a part of our year end special and thanks for visiting and listening to Ultimate Oldies Radio!
11-Dec-06

BILLY PRESTON DIES AT 59

PHOENIX - Billy Preston, the exuberant keyboardist who landed dream gigs with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and enjoyed his own series of hit singles, including "Outta Space" and "Nothing From Nothing," died Tuesday at 59. Preston's longtime manager, Joyce Moore, said Preston had been in a coma since November in a care facility and was taken to a hospital in Scottsdale Saturday after his condition deteriorated. "He had a very, very beautiful last few hours and a really beautiful passing," Moore said by telephone from Germany. "He went home good." Preston, who had battled chronic kidney failure, had undergone a kidney transplant in 2002, but the kidney failed and he has been on dialysis treatments ever since, Moore said earlier this year. Known for his big smile and towering afro, Preston was a teen prodigy on the piano and organ, and lent his gospel-tinged touch to classics such as the Beatles' "Get Back" and the Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" He broke out as a solo artist in the 1970s, winning a best instrumental Grammy in 1973 for "Outta Space," and scoring other hits with "Will It Go 'Round In Circles," "Nothing From Nothing" and "With You I'm Born Again," a duet with Syreeta Wright.
06-Jun-06

56 WFIL DJ LONG JOHN WADE DIES

By KYW Philadelphia's David Madden In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many around here listened to top 40 DJ Long John Wade. He passed on this week at his home in New England. He made part of the Beatles 1964 American tour while working for a radio station in Hartford. In late 1966 he became one of Philadelphias Boss Jocks. Wade followed George Michael weeknights. Larry Kane, who made the same Beatles tour, worked with Wade at WFIL: "He made you think he was, at one point, an expert...an entertainer...and somewhat of a wise guy. And people loved that wise guy, comedic part of him." Wade went to competitor WIBG in the early 70s and started a local branch of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He even flirted with talk radio before retiring to Cape Cod. He had battled with bad health for several years before his death on Monday.
20-May-06

VAN DYKES & TOMMY VANN IN CONCERT IN BALTIMORE!

For our friends in Baltimore, we'd like to tell you that tickets have just gone on sale for the Van Dykes in concert. The date is Saturday, October 28th from 8 til Midnight at the Catonsville Community College gymnasium in southwest Baltimore County. You will also enjoy a special appearance by Baltimore's popular 60's vocalist Tommy Vann. Ultimate Oldies Radio's Bob Mathers will be on hand to emcee and play oldies both before the concert and during intermission. Tickets are already selling fast, so get yours by calling 410-788-2425. The event benefits the Western Family YMCA.
17-Apr-06

JUNE POINTER OF THE POINTER SISTERS DIES AT 52

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- June Pointer, the youngest of the singing Pointer Sisters known for the 1970s and 1980s hits "I'm So Excited," "Fire," and "Slow Hand," has died, her family said Wednesday. She was 52. Pointer died of cancer Tuesday at Santa Monica University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center, the family said in a statement. She had been hospitalized since late February and the type of cancer wasn't disclosed. She died "in the arms of her sisters, Ruth and Anita and her brothers, Aaron and Fritz, by her side," the family statement read. "Although her sister, Bonnie, was unable to be present, she was with her in spirit." The Pointer Sisters began as a quartet in the early 1970s with sisters Ruth, Anita, Bonnie and June. The group became a trio when Bonnie embarked on a solo career. The group's hits also included "He's So Shy," "Automatic" and "Jump (For My Love)." The sisters, along with their two older brothers, grew up singing in the choir of an Oakland church where their parents were ministers. Bonnie and June formed a singing duo and began performing in clubs around the San Francisco Bay area. Anita and Ruth later joined the group and together, they sang backup for Taj Mahal, Boz Scaggs and Elvin Bishop, among others. Their first, self-titled album, "The Pointer Sisters," debuted in 1973 and the song "Yes We Can Can" became their first hit. They followed up with the album "That's A Plenty," which featured an eclectic mix of musical styles ranging from jazz to country and pop. They won the first of their three Grammy awards in 1974 for best country vocal performance by a group for the song "Fairytale." Interactive AP Interview with Mary J. Blige AP Interview with Hip Hop's Bow Wow AP Interview with Britain's Aqualung AP Interview with Jazz Trumpeter Chris Botti AP Interview with Newcomers Faktion AP Interview with Jazz Musician Chick Corea Latest Music News Success Often Endangers Rappers June Pointer of the Pointer Sisters Dies Police Say Dead Rapper Proof Fired First Britney Spears Visited by Law Officers Pete Doherty Misses London Court Date Clothing Company Sues Jessica Simpson Village People 'Cop' Arrested Again Madonna Marriage May Have Had Bumpy Period Buy AP Photo Reprints Bonnie left the group in 1977, and the sisters recorded several more albums, scoring several hit songs that became identified as the soundtrack of the 1980s. The successful 1984 album "Break Out" earned two Grammy awards for the songs "Automatic" and "Jump (For My Love)." The album's other hit song, "Neutron Dance," was prominently featured in the movie "Beverly Hills Cop." June recorded two solo albums, and later left the trio. Anita and Ruth still perform under the group's name. Ruth's daughter, Issa Pointer, is the trio's newest member. Two years ago, June Pointer was charged with felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor possession of a smoking device. She was ordered to a rehabilitation facility. Funeral arrangements were incomplete.
12-Apr-06

GENE PITNEY DEAD AT 65

LONDON Apr 5, 2006 (AP) Gene Pitney, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame whose hits included "Town Without Pity" and "Only Love Can Break a Heart," died Wednesday at a hotel in Wales after playing a show, his agent said. He was 65. Pitney was found dead in his hotel room in Cardiff, Wales. Police said the death did not appear suspicious. "We don't have a cause of death at the moment but looks like it was a very peaceful passing," said Pitney's tour manager, James Kelly. "He was found fully clothed, on his back, as if he had gone for a lie down. It looks as if there was no pain whatsoever." He added: "Last night was generally one of the happiest and most exuberant performances we've seen out of him. He was absolutely on top of his game and was really happy with the show." Born in Hartford, Conn., on Feb. 17, 1941, Pitney had his first success as a songwriter with "Rubber Ball," a Top 10 hit for Bobby Vee in 1961. Later that year, Ricky Nelson had a hit with Pitney's "Hello Mary Lou." As a performer, Pitney had his first success that same year with "Love My Life Away." But Burt Bacharach and Hal David provided the songs that put Pitney in the Top 10: "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and "Only Love Can Break a Heart." "Only Love Can Break a Heart" was Pitney's biggest U.S. hit, peaking at No. 2 on the charts in 1962. The No. 1 song at the time was The Crystals' "He's a Rebel," written by Pitney. He had more than a dozen Top 40 hits and even contributed to an early Rolling Stones recording session. Pitney waited until 1990 for his first British No. 1 he rerecorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" with Marc Almond. Pitney also had some success as a country singer, pairing with George Jones to record "I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night" and "Louisiana Man." He recorded in Italian and Spanish, and twice took second place at the San Remo Song Festival in Italy. He also had a regional hit with "Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare." Pitney was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
05-Apr-06

WHAT A NICE PARTY!

We send our thanks to the nearly 150 people who attended our St. Patrick's Day Oldies Party in Glen Burnie, Maryland. We did all the big dances, played lots of great oldies, and enjoyed a nice buffet of food and beverage courtesy of LaFontaine Bleu Caterers. We hope to do it again sometime soon.
19-Mar-06

ST PADDY'S DANCE

If you're in the Baltimore area, there are tickets remaining for tonight's Ultimate Oldies Radio Dance Party. We'll be playing the great songs you grew up with from 7:30 to 11:30 at the LaFontaine Bleu in Glen Burnie. Tickets are just $15.00 each and include beverages and food. To purchase them call 410-760-4115.
17-Mar-06

ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARTY

Make plans now to join us for the Ultimate Oldies Radio St. Patrick's Dance on Friday March 17th. The event will be held at the LaFontaine Bleu on Ritchie Highway at Annapolis Road. The hours are 7:30-11:30 PM.

The cost is just $15.00, and includes lite fare with an Irish theme, soda, beer, and wine. Bobby O'Mathers will play continuous 50's and 60's oldies with the emphasis on dancing. Or if you just want to listen, we'll bring back some great memories.

We'll also have wheels to benefit God's Special Children, helping retarded youngsters, and 50/50 contests as well. For tickets, call the LaFontaine Bleu at 410-760-4115 or email bobmathers@hotmail.com.
03-Mar-06

STREAM IS DOWN

Becuase of the website's move to Seattle, Washington...Ultimate Oldies Radio's 'Winamp Stream' will be off the air until March 15, 2006. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please direct all inquiries to bobmathers@hotmail.com.
03-Mar-06

ULTIMATE OLDIES ADDS REAL AUDIO TO WINDOWS MEDIA

On Monday February 20th, Ultimate Oldies Radio added a new function to its program delivery. Previously, listeners could only hear the home page shows on Windows Media. Now, Ultimate Oldies broadcasts in Real Player too. This means no more configuring your computer from one to the other. The upgrade was accomplished through the combined efforts of webmaster Jimmy Williams and our webhoster, Andy Balto's Hyper Media Corporation. We're excited about this very important development. Thanks to those gentlemen for a job well done!
22-Feb-06

THE JACK GALE SHOW DEBUTS FEBRUARY 6TH ON ULTIMATE

The Jack Gale Show is ready to roll! Starting Monday February 6th, 2006, visitors will be able to listen to new programs every week. The Jack Gale show may be accessed by on-demand audio via windows media player or catch it on our live 24/7 stream thru shoutcast.com. Jack Gale's accomplishments in radio, record, and media are rather vast. We encourage you to visit his site, www.jackgaleradio.com. Be sure to tune in, tell all of your friends, and let Jack know that you love him. The award-winning Jack Gale Radio Program. Here for you at Ultimate Oldies Radio!
01-Feb-06

WILSON PICKETT DEAD

RESTON, Va. - (AP) Wilson Pickett, the soul pioneer best known for the fiery hits "Mustang Sally" and "In The Midnight Hour," died of a heart attack Thursday, according to his management company. He was 64. Chris Tuthill of the management company Talent Source said Pickett had been suffering from health problems for the past year. "He did his part. It was a great ride, a great trip, I loved him and I'm sure he was well-loved, and I just hope that he's given his props," Michael Wilson Pickett, the fourth of the singer's six children, told WRC-TV in Washington after his death. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Pickett known as the "Wicked Pickett" became a star with his soulful hits in the 1960s. "In the Midnight Hour" made the top 25 on the Billboard pop charts in 1965 and "Mustang Sally" did the same the following year. Pickett was defined by his raspy voice and passionate delivery. But the Alabama-born picket got his start singing gospel music in church. After moving to Detroit as a teen, he joined the group the Falcons, which scored the hit "I Found a Love" with Pickett on lead vocals in 1962. He went solo a year later, and would soon find his greatest success. In 1965, he linked with legendary soul producer Jerry Wexler at the equally legendary soul label Stax Records in Memphis, and recorded one of his greatest hits, "In the Midnight Hour," for Atlantic Records. A string of hits followed, including "634-5789," "Funky Broadway" and "Mustang Sally." His sensuous soul was in sharp contrast to the genteel soul songs of his Detroit counterparts at Motown Records. As Pickett entered a new decade, he had less success on the charts, but still had hits, including the song "Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You." In later years, he had legal problems and battled substance abuse; in 1994 he served jail time on an assault charge. Besides his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, he was also given the Pioneer award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation two years later.
19-Jan-06

ST. PATRICK'S BALTIMORE OLDIES DANCE

Ultimate Oldies Radio's Bob Mathers will host a St. Patrick's Day Oldies But Goodies dance in the Baltimore area! The date is Friday, March 17, 2006. The place is the fabulous LaFontaine Bleu ballroom on Ritchie Highway at Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The hours are 7:30 to 11:30. Doors open at 7. Tickets are just $15 per person, and INCLUDE beer, soda, and a a selection of lite fare expertly prepared by the LaFontaine Bleu staff. A cash bar will also be available. We'll have some fun giveaways and maybe a 50/50 drawing too. The LaFontaine Bleu is just south of Exit 3 at I-695, just east of I-97, and less than 10 minutes from BWI Airport. Plenty of free parking. We'll center the music in the 50's and early 60's, but we'll also have some of the more contemporary line dances as well. Tickets are available in advance by calling the LaFontaine Bleu at 410-760-4115, or e-mailing paul.maltese@lafontainebleu.com.
13-Jan-06

JACK GALE COMES TO ULTIMATE OLDIES RADIO

(January 10, 2006) - Ultimate Oldies Radio is excited to announce the debut of 'The Jack Gale Award Winning Radio Program', coming soon to the website. Mr. Gale will bring all of his pals with him (Dawson Belles, Lowell Pressure, and The Man In The Third Row, to name a few) in their never ending quest to create mayhem, mirth, and maniacal doings on the radio. Jack Gale began his radio career just a few weeks ago in 1943, but has gotten real good real fast and we know you'll like what you hear. As an audio botanist, Jack has over the years planted his carcass and grown audiences at stations including WSCR Cleveland, WTMA Charleston, WITH Baltimore and WMEX Boston. Gale also got shanghaied by the dynamic Stan Kaplan and was spirited away to Charlotte, North Carolina where he had no choice but to develop 61 Big WAYS into one of the greatest radio stations in Top 40 history. There is so much more to Mr. Gale's impressive resume, but we have to quit now because AFTRA only pays up to a certain amount of words per press release. So be sure to listen for the debut of the Award Winning Jack Gale Radio Program, coming to an Ultimate Oldies Radio dot com near you, soon.
10-Jan-06

BO DIDDLEY's 77th birthday

One of the founding fathers of rock & roll, BO DIDDLEY celebrates his 77th birthday on Friday December 30th 2005 and we encourage all his many fans around the world to sign the BO DIDDLEY-The Originator website Guestbook with their birthday greetings and messages. As we always do at this time of the year, we are making special arrangements for BO DIDDLEY to view each and every one of your greetings. This is an opportunity for you to convey your appreciation and best wishes to one of the undisputed legends of rock & roll and a true original, on the occasion of his 77th birthday. Please sign the Guestbook, located at http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/guestbook.html and show your support for The Originator - BO DIDDLEY. Thank you very much. David Blakey, Webmaster, BO DIDDLEY-The Originator http://members.tripod.com/~Originator_2/index.html A Celebration of his unique contribution to Popular Music. 1955 to 2005 - Celebrating 50 Years In Music!
19-Oct-05

DR. DON ROSE DIES

(Courtesy of All Access.com) - March 30, 2005. Sad news to report out of SAN FRANCISCO with the passing of legendary KFRC-A morning man DR. DON ROSE. He died in his sleep last night due to complications from pneumonia.

From 1973 to late 1986, DR. DON ruled mornings at KFRC-A, later leaving to go into station ownership, and then working at KIOI. His early stops in radio also included mornings at WQXI-A/ATLANTA, and later he rose to national prominence as morning man at WFIL-A/PHILADELPHIA. Funeral arrangements are pending. KFRC is running an hourly memorial tribute celebrating DR. DON's life with some classic airchecks of his morning show. Ironically, DR. DON was on the air just last week with DEAN GOSS & CAMMY BLACKSTONE, and by chance he said, "May the LORD bless you on your way in and on the way out" -- DR. DON's words are being used at the end of each memorial tribute.
30-Mar-05

SANDRA DEE DEAD AT 63

(Courtesy of AP) - Actress Sandra Dee, the blond beauty who attracted a large teen audience in the 1960s with films such as "Gidget" and "Tammy and the Doctor" and had a headlined marriage to pop singer Bobby Darin, died Sunday, February 20, 2005. She was 63. Dee died at 5:57 a.m. at the Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, said Cynthia Mead, nursing supervisor. Mead said Dee's family requested that no other details be released. CNN reported that Dee had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for two weeks for complications of kidney disease and pneumonia. At Universal Studio, Dee was cast mostly in teen movies such as "The Reluctant Debutante," "The Restless Years," "Tammy Tell Me True" and "Take Her She's Mine." Occasionally, she was able to do secondary roles in other films, such as "Imitation of Life," "A Portrait In Black" and "Romanoff and Juliet." After a one-month courtship, Dee married Bobby Darin in Elizabeth, N.J., in 1960. Dee & Darin had one son, Dodd, in 1964. They divorced one year later. Shortly thereafter, Miss Dee's movie contract ended and with the exception of occasional apperarances, maintained her privacy away of the spotlight for the rest of her days.
20-Feb-05

MAY OLDIES SHOW

Tickets are now on sale for 'The Big Baltimore Oldies Dance Party'. The event will be held on Saturday May 14, 2005 at the Timonium Fairgrounds. The venue is just north of Baltimore, off exit 17 at I-83.

The theme for this dance is 'Baltimore Radio Of The 50's and 60's'. We'll honor either in person or in memory, the great Top 40 personalities from the Golden Years of Rock N' Roll in Baltimore.

The legendary Jack Edwards (a 'golden oldie' himself from WCAO, WCBM & WITH) will DJ the event and play all the great dance tunes of the 50's and 60's. We'll also have Tommy Vann & the Epics on hand to sing a few numbers. Vann had several regional hits in Baltimore from 1963-66, including his version of 'Too Young' which sold a few hundred thousand copies worldwide.

Tickets are $25.00 per person. Tables of ten are $250.00. Ticket includes beer, wine, soda, setups and free parking. Food will be available or you can bring your own.

You can mail a check to...

Baltimore Oldies Party

506 Brunswick Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21223

Or email us for more information at bobmathers@hotmail.com.
29-Jan-05

THANKS

Dear Bob, thank you soo much. i found the song. it was wooly bully sam the sham.my face is like this rite now. thank you - carlos

Carlos, you're welcome. Glad we could help!
12-Dec-04

SATISFIED CUSTOMER

Hi Bob.... I received the CDs yesterday. I just finished playing the "77 WABC...Bob Lewis". I listened to it from Bellevue, down I-405 to Federal Way, while be stuck in traffic. Man did he "tire" me out. I couldn't get over how he played a "77 WABC" jingle before each record. It was neat listening to it. I plan on playing one each day on my way back from the office. Thanks for your extra efforts. Frank (a big Wolfman Jack fan)

Frank, we're glad you liked the CD's. Keep enjoying the memories and thanks for sharing.
11-Dec-04

QUESTION

What year did the song "CHERRY" by Frankie Valle debut? Thanks. Sev Galveston, Texas.

The song 'Sherry' by the Four Seasons debuted late in the summer of 1962 and quickly went to number 1. Frankie Valli and his cohorts soon proved the acomplishment was no 'flash-in-the-pan'. Their followup single, 'Big Girls Don't Cry', also went to number #1. The rest as they say, is history.
11-Dec-04

CAN YOU HELP ME?

Dear BOB, hello I'm trying to look for a song.... i think mule bule...i think if it isn't too much trouble can you please send me the real title of the song and the name of the artist. I'd greatly appreciate it. thank you. Carlos Mendoza - San Francisco.

Thanks Carlos. Can anyone help him? Appreciate it. Bob
11-Dec-04

BALTIMORE OLDIES DANCE COMING IN MAY, 2005

Tickets are now on sale for the Big Baltimore Oldies Dance & Show. The event will be held on Saturday May 14, 2005 from 7 til Midnight at the Timonium Fairgrounds. The show is produced by Bob Mathers. In September of 2003, Bob and Anne Tempera created and produced 'The Buddy Deane Tribute', which paid homage to Baltimore's legendary TV & Radio Rock and Roll DJ. Approximately 1300 attended that event.

The Big Baltimore Oldies Dance & Show will honor legendary Top 40 radio stations in Baltimore from the 50's and 60's. Special 'flashbacks', 'audio clips' of great DJ's, and even some in-person surprises are planned in conjunction with the theme.

Each one attending will have a chance to dance the night away to the best music of the 50's and 60's. There will be contests, prizes, vendors, and a whole lot more.

Tickets are just $25.00 each, and include beer, wine, soda and setups. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own food, or food will be available for purchase.

For those who want to bring a group, tables of 10 are available. All orders received for tables before November 30, 2004 are just $225.00 (a savings of $25.00). After December 1, the cost per table is $250.00.

Any remaining tickets on the night of the show will be priced at $30.00 each.

For those interested in attending from out of town, ask us about special room/ticket packages for the weekend of May 13-14. 2005.

For more information, e-mail bobmathers@hotmail.com or call 410-566-7977 for the special Oldies Dance Hotline. Or send a check along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope to

Baltimore Oldies Dance
506 Brunswick Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21223.

Based on early interest, it is quite possible that we'll have a sellout so get your tickets soon.
25-Oct-04

CORKY WARREN HOSTS NEW SHOW ON VINELAND NJ'S 92.1

Corky Warren, host of "Corky's Time Machine", heard every Saturday night on Oldies 92.1 WVLT in Vineland, New Jersey, is launching an exciting new show on the same station next month. Warren will team up with original 'Danny & the Juniors' members Joe Terry & Frank Maffei to host a feature entitled (appropriately enough) "Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay". The program will debut on October 11. WVLT, or 'Cruisin' 92.1', serves both the Philadelphia and Atlantic City, New Jersey markets on the eastern seaboard of the USA. For more information, contact Corky at chevy6@verizon.net.
25-Sep-04

STREAMING IS BACK

Ultimate Oldies Radio resumed streaming audio in real time effective 8:30 PM on Friday September 17, 2004. Our webmasters at Hypermedia provided us with upgraded equipment to deliver a more consistent, more reliable connection. We would like all who tune in to give us your feedback, pro and con. Thanks very much. You can email your observations to bobmathers@hotmail.com.
18-Sep-04

ARLENE KOZAK PASSES

GROUP NOMINATES DEANE FOR ROCK HALL OF FAME

Buddy Deane was one of the more influential DJ's of Rock's early years. A contingent of his fans is spearheading a drive to enshrine him in the National Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Frank Lidinsky of Baltimore, Maryland has for more than a year worked with a committee of contributors in an effort to garner enough signatures to nominate the late Mr. Deane to the Hall. Lidinsky's associate James 'Madison James' Dewald will present the nominating package with more than a thousand signatures to officials of the Hall this Friday in New York City. Supporters of the move include Producer John Waters, who modeled his movie (and later Broadway play) 'Hairspray' after Deane's long-running TV dance show seen in Baltimore from 1957-1964. For more details on how you can aid this effort, please visit Mr. Lidinsky at his website, www.mrllaw.com.
04-May-04

RYDELL ORIGINALS TO BE RELEASED

Plans are in the works to reissue all of the Bobby Rydell hits from his days on the Cameo label. The Philadelphia recording artist's early releases have only been available via bootleg or imports since they were taken off the market in the 1970's by music mogul Allen B. Klein. Klein bought the entire Cameo/Parkway masters around that time and then ceased reissues of the masters. The move was long sought by Rydell himself, who for years has received a steady barrage of letters from fans asking where they could buy his records. For more details, go to his website at www.bobbyrydell.com.
04-May-04

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