Their most popular singles were It Will Stand (also recorded by The Showmen) and Bug of Soul. The groups members drifted back to Alabama, with the exception of Townsend and Sanford who formed the Sanford-Townsend Band and recorded the hit Smoke from a Distant Fire.. By the time they came to get us we were pretty shozzeled.. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero for many of the major events central to the civil rights movement in this country. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. by Lenore Vickrey If you were a teenager in south-central Alabama in the 1960s, chances are you danced the jerk, flirted with that cute boy, or made out in the corner of the high school gym to the music of a live band of local erstwhile musicians. Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning to sports talk under the WMSP callsign in 1995. Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tommy, I'm in Montgomery, Alabama. REENADED . THE 5 BEST Upcoming Concerts & Shows in Montgomery - Tripadvisor Big Bam Fall Spectacular has had 1 concert. At the time, though, Brennan was simply doing his job, helping the family's radio stations to connect with listeners in a vivid, concrete way. MEMORABLE SLOGANS | Page 2 | RadioDiscussions The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00. WBAM Big Bam Shows Remembered 3,983 views Aug 25, 2013 A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. There was this woman who was playing the bongos who literally passed out playing. nellson nutraceutical revenue; arlington catholic basketball roster; jack cawood and suzy hunt; lawn vacuum for acorns rental. Rare Earth. "I'm so old. He was replaced by Johnny Townsend from Tuscaloosa, who was living with Duane and Gregg Allman in LA. I dont feel like well have any problem (remembering their songs). Its a good bet theyll play some Steely Dan, Crosby, Stills & Nash, a favorite, Sweet Magnolia, and Bill Hinds rendition of Joe Walshs Rocky Mountain Way.. Joni Mitchell at Tuscaloosa 1975 would be third," said jarobertson. WBAM-FM - History - Former Programming and Personalities Local Rock 'n Roll 60s & 70s Style | Prime Montgomery They didn't come to hear me; they came to hear the Rolling Stones.'". Date:Sun, 5 Jun 2005 09:12:45 -0400 I'll tell you a story about that WBAM show in Montgomery. We came along at just the right time.. Thanks to Donnie Brennan for the Elvis photos. Now sales manager for a Dothan radio station, Moody fondly remembers working as a teenager at a 1959 WBAM concert featuring singer Connie Francis. He plays locally at Ruddles, Coaches Corner in Wetumpka, Young Barn Oyster Pub, and has recorded a CD. Yet. Big BAM shows, Montgomery Several readers made fond mention of multi-act shows presented by WBAM-AM, a sister station to Birmingham's WVOK-AM, during the 1960s and early '70s. But with two hotshot rock bandson the bill at Legion Field, the twangier acts faced a tougher crowd and some of the musicians felt like underdogs. I was blown away. Many regulars from the Kove days brought their grown children and will likely do so again. "We had a room set up at our house that had little cubbyholes, like a post office has, and Clara would be back there, stuffing these envelopes, and getting the tickets," Brennan says. Brennan's memories of the showsare less starry-eyed and more businesslike, as befitsthe man who booked the acts, paid the bills and tallied the proceeds. ", "This is so subjective and there are way too many to pick from. The Fab Four wouldnt play to segregated audiences, and at that time this was the case in Alabama. Zero , Northwest Florida: 06/18/2006 - 06/25/2006 - Blogger WMSP (740 AM, "Sports Radio 740") is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA.The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. The Louvin Brothers. He pulls this at every one of our shows. ", From shapeshiftinhmojo: "The Allman Brothers played at the National Guard Armory as both the Almond Joys and as the Allman Brothers in the 1960's as well as Tuscaloosa in the seventies when they were huge. Mosley tribes Lyndel . Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Uploaded 11 years ago Music 4; Photos 0; Interview . Alicia Mcleod - Vocals - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Bobby Goldsboro was having a nice run of hits in the mid-'60s when suddenly, with the release of a song called "Honey" in 1968, he became a major star. Big Bam All-Star Spring Show Setlists Apr 8 1967 Date Saturday, April 8, 1967 Venue Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA Report festival So far there are setlists of 9 gigs. Find the answers to any question. Ask anyone who was there. People would come night after night, said Lander, who owns Bama Lanes in Montgomery and Prattville. My personal favorite concert of all times was Billy Joel at the BJCC Concert Hall. WBAM ~ Trax & Grooves - Blogger They enjoy reminiscing about the stars, the shows and the fans who made it possible. Its amazing the life we got to live.. No mention does anyone else remember that?". A buddy and I went down hoping for a miracle and some guy offered us two tickets for $10 bucks each which we gladly paid. Alicia McLeod - Vocals. 'I did it my way.'". By today's standards, his solution to the latter problemseems charmingly old-school. Flintstone House. Dan Brennan recalls the reaction from performers. "Elviswas an opening act," Brennan says. Louise Brennan, Cyril's wife, at the Beatles' press conference in Jacksonville. They have reformed several times with different members, playing for Lee High School reunions. They were a staple at dances for years, packing National Guard armories, gymnasiums, and teen clubs from Montgomery to Opp and Troy, and college campuses at Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Ole Miss. big bam shows montgomery, alabama It was great! Pitiful (Otis Redding) sound so much better with real horns.. According to Dan, the only surviving brother, it was Bill's decision to offer$50,000 to the Beatles for their appearance at the Gator Bowl. So we had to delay the start of the show about 15 minutes or so while the carpenters came out and put these rails together. [2] Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning to sports talk under the WMSP callsign in 1995. Brennan had many encounters with celebritiesover his three decades as a concert promoter, but says he never felt famous -- not even when he was widely regardedas a household name in Birmingham radio. Big BAM Shows of the late 1960s and early 1970s featured all the biggest artists of the day, including Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, Iron Butterfly, The Carpenters, The Monkees (as a group and individually), Tommy Joyce and Bobby Heart, The Grass Roots, and many more. I had to play the whole set standing up!. "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . The Animals. Their friends were quite envious when they got to hang out with the Grass Roots, Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds, Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders, and rode around with Eric Burden and the Animals. (The Beatles' popularity in the U.S. exploded in 1964, and that year's tour was a watershed moment for the band.). Springsteen played the 'short end' of the the Beard-Eaves with the curtain up. blues show montgomery, al 2021 | Future Property Exhibiitons "One of the the things we had to do, in order to provide bathroom facilities for all of the artists, we had a bunch of RVs, recreation vehicles, and they were all over the field out there," Brennan says. Big Bam Show Montgomery, Al 1960s F.U.N. That was one of my first big gigs - the Big BAM shows! They agreed to do it, but they were on one end of it, and the Beach Boys were on the other end of it. With the help of Bill Moody and Cyril Brennan at WBAM, their music was played on the 100,000-watt radio station, helping the group built a following as an R&B band. "It cost enough that we were lucky to come out with just enough and break even with it," Brennan says. The Other Side of Montgomery - Google Books Hes been a school principal and now sells wholesale art, although business has been suffering due to the economy. The Big BAM Shows. "I'm so. ", Also on his list: "Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, and Jesse Colin Young and The Youngbloods, Legion Field, sometime in the 70's. In spirited retaliation, Paul Revere and the Raiders march in lock step across the stage behind performers Jan and Dean. The Troggs. When Cher and Sonny first met in 1963, she was 16, while he was 27 and married (he and his first wife were separated). Alabama | Garage Hangover (His moniker on the air: Dan the Music Man. He doesnt keep up with Johnny Townsend, but remains friends with Rusty Crumpton and Ed Sanford, who is a successful artist in Los Angeles. Patsy Cline. Of all the concerts I've been to in my lifetime, this one was the most memorable. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Things changed a little bit after that. We always had the feeling, said Dan Brennan, that it was more than just a job., It was the golden era of rock and roll, said Moody. And didn't ever explain to the people what had happened. "Best concert I caught in this state was at Memorial Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1978 Lowell George and Little Feat. The Rockin' Rebellions won top honors - beating out 67 other bands from throughout Alabama. The stage was an immense rectangle glutted with scaffolding and hundreds of klieg lights and a sound system on a board that looked like the skyline of New York at night. That was a lot of money. They played at YMCAs, American Legion halls, private parties, and dances all over south Alabama, Panama City, Savannah, and Greenville, Miss. "It was a promotional thing for us. WBAM Big Bam Shows 7,142 views Nov 21, 2010 One of the big hit singers of the 60's and 70's working on a bit with me for a TV show..a little behind the scenes..Bobby is involved with art. The Brennans often picked up and drove band members to and from the airport and hotels, quite a thrill for Diane Brennan Knapp and Donnie Kay Brennan, daughters of Cyril Brennan and teenagers at the time. Its magic, said Beavers. Formed: 1966, Tallassee. It feels good. From Brian Willis: "Any of Alabama's June Jams. big bam shows montgomery, alabama - dialectic.solutions ", From Cobb: "Buckingham Nicks in Morgan Auditorium Tuscaloosa Alabama Fall 1973.". Props. The WMSP studios are located on the 3rd floor of . We'd be there from the crack of dawn until midnight. Bob Brennen gave me these. Via a longstanding partnership with the Benns family, the Brennans also extended theirreach to Chattanooga, the home of WFLI-AM. Skyping with a Hermit With an amazing backing band, he proceeded to entertain the entire evening. Its better than not being remembered at all.. He kicked it off with (what else?) Beth Nielsen joined the group after Shaw left. We would skip class and work setting up the stages for free admission and backstage passes. "We gave everybody who came a free rain parka. "Two guitars and a stool. But he's sure the introduction was brief, wasting no time as Beatlemania raged. Jimbo Jones (L) and Tommy Beavers look forward to the reunion of Harmony. At the time, Sonny was interested Cher's friend, not her. But in the stations' 1960s heyday, shows usually kicked off on Fridays inMontgomery atGarrett Coliseum and moved to Birmingham on Saturdays at Municipal Auditorium (now called Boutwell Auditorium). It was a real happening thing.. The primary reason for the shows was to keep a personal relationship with the listeners, said Dan Brennan, 81, former general manager at WVOK. A guy during intermission pulled his hankee out of his pockes and a gun fell out and fired a round into the row od seats in front of us. rock pilgrimage "Bill" Brennan, one of the owners of The Big Bam, Montgomery's renowned 50,000-watt radio station. The Other Side of Montgomery: Growing Up White in the Birthplace of the She remembers her father's words with startling clarity, along with the thrill she experiencedwhile sitting in the front row. I believe that city has a particular significance to you. That radio station had its concerts, too, dubbedJet-Fli Spectaculars, at the Soldiers &Sailors Memorial Auditorium. ", From Steve Wayne: "Guns N' Roses at the Birmingham Race Course. One of Brennan's favorite anecdotes concerns a young Elvis Presley, making waves and jostling for position before a concerton Dec. 3,1955, at Garrett Coliseum. They changed their name to Heart before eventually folding. This book takes a thought-provoking, even-handed look at those days from the perspective of a typical white kid growing up in Montgomery during that . "That was before he became very big. A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. Big Bam All-Star Spring Show Setlists Apr 8 1967 Date Saturday, April 8, 1967 Venue Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA Report festival So far there are setlists of 9 gigs. ", From Shapeshiftinhmojo: "Jimi Hendrix played Alabama twice in both Tuscaloosa and Auburn in 1968 or 69. The Other Side of Montgomery : Growing Up White in the Birthplace of Peter (Asher) and Gordon (Waller), Big BAM Show. "It was cold outside, show was to begin at 6 but began at 9; coeds from T-town waited for 2nd show which was to begin at 9 but began at about 2 next morning, had to get permission to stay in those days and freeze outside at Auburn University Coliseum. Hal Hodgens of WVOK is second from left. Originally licensed in 1953 as WBAM, the station broadcast contemporary and country music before turning The Lovin' Spoonful. It was elbow to elbow in there, remembered drummer Tommy Beavers. We played a lot of soul music, the Beatles, the Stones, he said. I don't know, I guess people got to trust us. As a result, Captain and Tennille declined ABC's offer to do a second season. Gobs of people have asked us when were going to do another reunion. I also went to one free concert on the old Quad (Woods Hall) in the late 60s that featured Linda Ronstadt (backed up by the Eagles). Later acts included the Beach Boys, the Animals, the Dave Clark Five, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Tommy James and the Shondells and the perennial Montgomery favorite, Lou Christie. You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if you publish it online or in print . . Her very own father was on stage, standing closeto four of the most famous musicians in the world. That way I could see the stars and hear the music better. That's how we put together our shows. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Johnny Cash. 9781603060554: The Other Side of Montgomery: Growing Up White in the Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA Concert Setlists | setlist.fm Roy Orbis. big bam shows montgomery, alabamasmart search field in safari. Elvis Presley. The Rogues of Montgomery, AL cut one great rock single, "Put You Down" b/w a version of "Stormy Monday Blues". Dan Brennan at the mic introducing the Beatles at their Gator Bowl appearance in Jacksonville, Florida. Roy Acuff and his Smoky Mountain Boys were the headliners that evening, and the billincluded Kitty Wells, Johnnie and Jack, Fred Wamble, Jack Turner and Buddy Hawk. By 1972 the heyday of the big shows had passed. ", From David Hester: "Eagles at Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville in 1975. It made me feel good in a way, he said. I always got seats on the floor for the shows. When I got on stage the drum kit seat was way too high. ", From bamamaam: "What about the lynyrd skynyrd concert at rickwood field in the '70's.? I just went to the Coliseum for the music. ', "We went over there and asked Roy, and he said, 'No, we're not going to do that. The rock band played several times at the Shower of Stars and appeared at one of the last few shows in the concert series, in July 1972. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. We were all so nervous we wore dark sunglasses so nobody could see how scared we were, said Dupree. At least 25 people tried to jump the stage during the concert and were knocked backward into the crowd by gigantic stage bouncers! Big Bam Show . And if we hadn't had (Hurricane Dora), we would have made a lot of money. For an 18-year-old to take home a pillowsack full of dollars, that was quite a heady time.. THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE WBAM, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1967! Dislike Share. It's not like now, where they have secret tunnels and drive right into the auditorium.". I never chased the stars around to hotels or anything. K Jamie Carter Childhood Toys Childhood Memories Camille Redouble Sheila E ", From TTownTony: "You cannot even imagine the concerts played in Tuscaloosa before the BJCC was built. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero for many of the major events central to the civil rights movement in this country. ", From cj75: "Grateful Dead, 5/17/77 in Tuscaloosa. From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. The author recalls with fondness the casual neighborliness that existed within his community, the freedom that children enjoyed to roam and play, and the slower pace of life that prevailed. "Play It All Night Long." These are just a few of the acts presentedby the Brennans during the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. Each episode had a specific theme, mission, or challenge which was accomplished by performing pranks, skateboarding, and enlisting the help of . "Rolling Stones, October 5, 1989, Legion Field," said Emily A. Solid show during a year held in very high regard by a large number of Deadheads. Both stations played Top 40 hits of the day, and the concerts were the Brennans gifts to a loyal radio audience. Show Duplicate for Mar 22, 2013: Mar 08, 2013 Justin Moore: Garrett Coliseum: Members: Mitch Alton (original member), Gregg Pappas, Ham Wilson, Bill Marshall , Dwight Williams, Rick Byrd, Orville Cain, Carl Tesh. Gate Band WVOK Shower of Stars | Flickr So many great City Stages performances: Chuck Berry (backed my some of Birmingham's finest), James Brown, Johnny Cash (right after Randy Newman! ", From Denniswingo: "The Grateful Dead in 1978 at the Boutwell Auditorium. He would tear up the piano, Moody said, We couldnt find anyone to provide a piano, but he would put on a show. WBAM-FM - History - Historical Videos Music you could dance to The Brennan kids were popular during the concert years, as you might expect, and Bartoletti says she, her four siblings and her cousins were fixtures at the WVOK shows, seated in the front row. We were very obnoxious to the security guard, who was the nicest guy, and of course, we would go in and outside all the time. The Beach Boys. More like this Cheerleading Pictures Cheerleading Uniforms Girls Knee Socks Saddle Shoes Long Socks Roller Derby Time Capsule Cheer Up Female Athletes Cheerleaders 1960-70s- Loving the knee socks, saddle shoes, and huge pom poms! Keyboardist Mark Marvin will fill in for Eddie Wohlford who is unable to attend. If you were a teenager anywhere near Montgomery in the mid-60s and early 70s, the concert scene didnt get any better than the fanfests known as the Big BAM shows. The station's transmitter is located in the town of Grady, Alabama. Their annual Big Bam shows, and Show of Stars were traveling medicine shows and featured Lou Christie, Roy Orbison, The Animals. Lowell George in his prime," says Bingothatwuzagoody. ", The Birmingham News file photo/Philip Barr. He never asked forautographs. Patsy Cline Performs Her Final Show Country Music Memories; Most Wanted Music: 2023's Country and Americana Album Releases; Follow Us. Nov 2011 Prime Montgomery by Bob Corley - Issuu Your favorite concerts in Alabama music history - al.com to see more entries, Posted on November 1, 2011 by bob in Features. WMSP (740 AM, Sports Radio 740) is a radio station licensed to serve Montgomery, Alabama, USA. From Billy Bromberg: "Led Zeppelin 1973, Coleman Coliseum." If you were a teenager in south-central Alabama in the 1960s, chances are you danced the jerk, flirted with that cute boy, or made out in the corner of the high school gym to the music of a live band of local erstwhile musicians. Big Bam All-Star Spring Show Setlists Apr 8 1967 Date Saturday, April 8, 1967 Venue Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA So far there are setlists of 9 gigs Saturday, April 8, 1967 Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL Blues Magoos Brian Hyland Lou Christie The Buckinghams The Casinos The Electric Prunes The Royal Guardsmen The Turtles Capital Cool. Brennan, who understands the pull of nostalgia, says he's heard similar sentiments from many Birmingham folkswho came of age at the Shower of Stars. For fans, half the fun was trying for a glimpse of the stars at their hotel or coming to and from the coliseum. WBAM, also known as Bama Country 98.9, is a country music formatted radio station that serves the Montgomery Metropolitan Area, broadcasting on the FM band at a frequency of 98.9 MHz and licensed to Montgomery, Alabama. The entire show was magic, beginning with The Stranger and of course included many of the unknown Joel early songs. Zero , Northwest Florida: 08/22/2010 - 08/29/2010 - Blogger WBAM-FM /98.9 (" Bama Country 98.9 ") is a country music formatted radio station that serves the Montgomery Metropolitan Area, broadcasting on the FM band at a frequency of 98.9 MHz and licensed to Montgomery, Alabama. Toni loved doing the show, but Daryl, who never enjoyed being on camera, did not. I said, 'Well, this is Roy's show. But Lewis went over his allotted time. The Righteous Brothers. (Photo courtesy of the Brennan family). Members: Original members John Key, David Headley and Bob Corley plus David Langford, Mike Mobley, Larry Hughes, Bobby Johnson and Rick Roper. Only concert I have ever been to where they had tee shirts for the guitarist in the band along with the band's shirts. A license for the station was issued in 1952. When was the last concert at Big Bam Fall Spectacular? Two years later WBAM went country and the station was later sold. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. He didn't insist onphotos. Moody also got to do his share of transporting stars, taking them to the Diplomat Inn, owned by Bill Brennan, older brother of Cyril and Dan and a partner in WBAM and WAPE. We'd get hamburgers and bring them back, with someone always holding our place. We occasionally wouldn't fill all three seatings in Birmingham, but I don't think we ever had one that was less than about 70 percent full, with all three together. One of the best concerts ever for Blues in Birmingham. From Mike Travis: "KISS, Van Halen, Rush, The Who, The Rolling Stones , Pink Floyd the racetrack mudfield to see GNR, Billy Joel and Elton John as well as the Eagles and Metallica in '81. The Buckinghams. "Ringo said, 'I'm not getting up there unless you build me a bannister around this thing.' Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. A close second would be Yes at the Concert Hall in 2013. Instead, the concert was held at the Gator Bowl under the auspices of the Brennans Jacksonville station WAPE, the Big APE. "Me and my girlfriends would get up at -- holy moly, 6 a.m. -- and get there long before the show ever started," said Connie Peek, a former Shower of Stars regular, during a 2003 interview with The Birmingham News. Some of the items will go on exhibit starting Thursday at the Alabama. The Fabulous Shades, 1965. Bobby Dupree (L) and Sonny Grier of the Rockin' Gibraltars. Lead in groups were the James Gang with Joe Walsh, and a group that got booed called Frampton's Camel before Peter Frampton hit it big. "There was a little one, and a big one, and we didn't know which was which," Brennan says. It is amazing to think that was 41 years ago. We got started because of the Beatles, said Jimbo Jones, longtime singer and guitarist with Harmony, one of the most popular bands to come out of Montgomery that played in the mid to late 70s at Keglers Kove, the lounge at Bama Lanes.