Still, isn't there something to be said about saving these places where so
many greats played? Also, I feel the "Philadelphia Inferiority Syndrome"
has contributed to the de-valuing and lack of marketing these historical
musical treasures, don't you think?
I still wince when I think that "The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" is in Cleveland, Ohio (near where I went to college and a city that promotes anything that moves), instead of Philadelphia. What's wrong with this picture?
Dick Clark moved to Hollywood and left us with Jerry Blavat!
Now, Jerry is a tremendous guy and all that, but he didn't have the following
that even "Hisky" (Hyski-O-Roonie-McVouty-O-Zoot) had ... and neither matched
"The Rockin' Bird," Joe Niagara. [At the time both were at WIBG while Jerry
was at WCAM.] But the problem was, all three were strictly "local talent,"
and radio to boot. Jerry tried to make the transition to Television with his
"Discophonic Scene", but it simply never caught on.
... and besides, by then (mid 1960's), the "pop music" world had moved to LA.
(Interestingly a "google search" for "geeter with the heater" yields up a DJ for Radio 1 - who, in the UK in 1967, apparently adopted Blavat's moniker "The "Geator with the Heater," the "Boss with the Hot Sauce" with his patter: "I am the Emperor....the geeter with the heater...")
It has been said many times by many different pundits -- "Philadelphia suffers greatly from its self-effacing Quaker heritage."
As I recall, Philadelphia never even "bid" on hosting "The Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame." (Or if it did, it was a typical "well, we have to do this,
but we don't really believe in it" kind of bids.)
Even the Philadelphia Orchestra survives without much in the way of Community Support. It is far better known and held in much higher esteem virtually anywhere else around the world than in its home city.
One wonders how many on this list even know "The Sound of Philadelphia?" -- EITHER version ... Stokowski's or Gamble and Huff's.
Philadelphia's musical tradition is deep and broad ... or at least it was.
http://www.philadelphiamusicalliance.com/
[American Bandstand started with Bob Horn in 1952 on WFIL-TV. It was
broadcast 5 days a week from the WFIL Studios, adjacent to the Arena,
at 46th and Market Streets. Dick Clark took over in 1956 and Bandstand
went nationwide, broadcast daily on ABC beginning in 1957, until Clark
moved it to California and cut it back to one day a week in 1964.
During its stint in Philadelphia, Bandstand virtually dictated the "tastes"
for pop music and dance across the country!]
T.T.F.N. William H. Magill [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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