Deserving and Denied!

Saturday night Those Were the Days on WRCO will go to bat for those we feel should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There are so many on the list, in fact we could probably do a complete six-hour show featuring songs of those crucial omissions. Some of our most requested artists have never been enshrined in Cleveland. Did you know that Boston, REO Speedwagon, Grand Funk Railroad, and the Guess Who have never made the cut? Tommy James should be in there. His influence has been clear. Three of his songs were covered and were huge hits for Joan Jett, Billy Idol, and Tiffany in the 1980’s. Supertramp, Styx, Huey Lewis and the News, and Johnny and Edgar Winter have never been elected to the Hall of Fame. Johnny Rivers is a huge swing and miss for the powers that be and Neil Sedaka. Neil should be in, not only as a performer but as a songwriter for other artists. Can you think of an act that should be in the hall? Give me a call or text during Saturday night’s edition of Those Were the Days on WRCO, WRCO.com, and on the Civic Media app. It bugs me when the R n’ R Hall committee attempts to pay tribute to all genres each year and the award winners get younger and younger. Why not look at the older generation first before groups like Oasis, Outkast, Sound Garden, and Wu-Tang Clan are considered? We may have to start another Rock Hall in Sextonville.

The weather is getting nicer each weekend. A shoutout to some of the early season campers who hear our show. The Fireside gang was back for spring and summer last week. I love it when big groups get together and have food, beverages, and Those Were the Days. That takes me back to my youth when my parents always hosted gatherings. Many were impromptu with friends and neighbors stopping by and the next thing you knew a few steaks would show up on the charcoal grill and a few PBR’s and Skis would be pulled out of the tank. My dad and I would often be the entertainment with a few goofy songs and skits. The radio would play in the background, or little Phil would crank up his Panasonic stereo. Some of the records I played then might be played on WRCO this Saturday night because they have been digitized to another format. My vinyl fix gets satisfied as well when I slip a few on the table. Some of them I originally owned through bribes. Mother would buy me a new record if I went willingly to get my hair cut. She felt like this was a good investment and saved her the embarrassment of me grabbing onto the barber’s pole outside that shop as she was dragging me. Todd Coppernoll’s (WRCO’s new News Reporter) dad and grandpa were gifted by my presence at their shop. The hair would stick to the tears on my cheeks as they cut my hair. I think I was a high school senior when this was going on. ‘Give me a head with hair’, ‘long beautiful hair’!

I hope to hear from you by phone or text during Saturday nights Those Were the Days radio show on WRCO between six and midnight. Let’s have a party!

Phil