Bobby Dupree (L) and Sonny Grier of the Rockin' Gibraltars. ", From Don Haley Benson: "Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA! 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. "His 'side' men was the entire Little Feat rhythm section. The Lovin' Spoonful. And so he gave them -- the only show in the whole country that did this -- we gave them a flat $50,000, which was pretty good in those days. WBAM signed on in 1953 as AM 740. HOW COME PAUL GODDARD PUSHES HIS GLASSES UP THE BRIDGE OF HIS NOSE? Via a longstanding partnership with the Benns family, the Brennans also extended theirreach to Chattanooga, the home of WFLI-AM. Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. I had to play the whole set standing up!. By the time they came to get us we were pretty shozzeled.. (In 1965, Legion Field could seat more than 68,000 people.) "They would be paying the acts, literally, in cash. "I always had an idea about saving memories for people, and using the media that was becoming available, and that's what led me into this.". From Billy Bromberg: "Led Zeppelin 1973, Coleman Coliseum." From:"Rodney Justo" To:"robert register" Subject:Re: HEY EL NIXO! Her very own father was on stage, standing closeto four of the most famous musicians in the world. ", "Rolling Stones in Auburn '69," said James Robert Chambless. If possible, the Brennans liked to present the same lineup of artists in all three cities over a single weekend, offering three shows in Birmingham for the Shower of Stars, one in Montgomery. 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. In Brennan's view, that's a satisfying legacy. "Cyril's idea was, 'Tell them to sing, just a little bit, and make sure that we get the right one.' It was a hold out because they had missed a previous show in May of 1974. ", From ghostreader: "Springsteen, mobile civic center theater may 1976. The chips were glued into Dianes scrap book between photos of the Beatles. The group recorded a few songs at Muscle Shoals FAME Studios, played around the Los Angeles area with big name bands like Vanilla Fudge and Three Dog Night, and once opened for Jimi Hendrix. The Grass Roots. Thanks to Donnie Brennan for the Elvis photos. But in the minds of Alabama listeners, WVOK and WBAM ruled supreme, and the stations were closely linked by their concert series. And didn't ever explain to the people what had happened. Members: Original members Larry Hoyle, Johnny Hassett and Ron Howard, plus Chris Seymour, Johnny Long, Jr. and Craig Young. Instant Help Questions? Yet there was also a gentler side of the city that is rarely revealed within the pages of history texts. The Other Side of Montgomery: Growing Up White in the Birthplace of the The other was Municipal Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a show had been set for September 15 th. It is amazing to think that was 41 years ago. We rode up the . Show Duplicate for Mar 22, 2013: Mar 08, 2013 Justin Moore: Garrett Coliseum: A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. 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. big bam shows montgomery, alabama - joannascottcreative.com Hes been in a few movies, raced sports cars and been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. 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. It was great! Big Bam Fall Spectacular Concert History - Concert Archives Sweet Young Uns Neil Diamond. I play music half the time, the other half Im a toilet salesman, Jones said, which means hes in wholesale plumbing with Thompson Supply Co. ", Looking back on it, Brennan realizes that bringing the Beatles to the Gator Bowl was a milestone event -- one firmly enshrined in Beatles lore and noted by Ron Howard in his 2016 documentary, "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years." Garrett Coliseum, in contrast, could hold 10,000+ for a single performance in Montgomery. If it's all right with him, it's all right with me. Skynnard (not really a fan) opening for Wet Willie - 1972-73(?). With an amazing backing band, he proceeded to entertain the entire evening. Ticket prices were never more expensive than $4.00. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. White guys playing soul music!, Most of the stuff we played was music you could easily dance to, said Dupree. ', "We went over there and asked Roy, and he said, 'No, we're not going to do that. Bob was producing a medical documentary in Alabama, and also was a promoter for Evil Kneival and Chill Wills. Hal Hodgens of WVOK is second from left. [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. I don't even think it was a sell out. Prattville, Alabama 36066 (334) 358-9460 View Weekly Ad Hours Store Services Full Furniture with Mattresses Furniture Leasing Furniture Delivery Milk, Eggs & Grocery Featured Be a Backyard Bigionaire! It was just the coolest thing.". We had enough left over that, for a lot of our promotions after that, people would get free raincoats.". December 3, 1955-As an extra Bonus..here's the advertisement for sister station WBAM, Montgomery, AL, when the very young Elvis Presley appeared. "We started in 1947, and if you think about it, you didn't have very much television in those days," Brennan says in a recent interview. The Who played there. If possible, the Brennans liked to present the same lineup of artists in all three cities over a single weekend, offering three shows in Birmingham for the Shower of Stars, one in Montgomery for the Big BAM and one in Jacksonville for the Big APE. ", From Eric Pendergrass: "Grateful Dead BJCC April 4,5 1995.". Music lovers would line up at each venue, some arriving hours in advance, then rush inside to secure their favorite general-admission seats. Show Hide article text (OCR) "That was before he became very big. They had easy backstage access, as well, and would confidently sashay throughout the venue. His family owned WBAM in Montgomery, and WVOK in Birmingham, both 50,000 watt clear channels stations back in the day. "We'd camp out at the door, on the steps and wait. His wild antics while playing the piano, including jumping on the keyboard, whipped the audience into a frenzy, making his act the most exciting at the time, Cyril Brennan added. Flintstone House. ", Brennan, headquartered in Birmingham, rode herd over the Shower of Stars and was the primary talent buyer for the concerts, along with his other duties at WVOK. He doesnt keep up with Johnny Townsend, but remains friends with Rusty Crumpton and Ed Sanford, who is a successful artist in Los Angeles. "It didn't matter. WBAM Big Bam Shows Remembered - YouTube "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. Montgomery | Garage Hangover Thomas, joined by John Kay (solo after leaving Steppenwolf), the Grass Roots and others. ), "I remember we used to have people come out to our station on the Bessemer Superhighway," Brennan says, "and they would tell us that our transmitter -- we had a 50-kilowatt transmitter, and it was pretty close to their homes -- and they said, 'Well, I'm picking you up on my coffeepot.'". Iron Butterfly. Lou Christie was huge in Montgomery. Here's what was in the 1969 Montgomery time capsule ", From David Hester: "Eagles at Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville in 1975. They responded, swiftly and passionately, to a recent post listing 31 of the greatest shows at venues throughout the state. Can you believe it? Dupree served with the Army in Vietnam, worked as an engineer in Muscle Shoals, and has been an electrical engineer for the Alabama Legislature for 27 years. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. We were all so nervous we wore dark sunglasses so nobody could see how scared we were, said Dupree. Patsy Cline. 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. "Times have changed so," said a wistful Peek, the Shower of Stars devotee. It was important to us.". One of the most powerful Shower of Stars events happened on May 7, 1965, when WVOK brought the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys to Legion Field. 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 Who. The original investors in the company were William J. WMSP - Wikiwand I didn't stay afterwards, but my friends who did said that he stood in the lobby as long as anyone was there greeting fans and talking about world hunger. But from the . by Lenore Reese Vickrey: photos by the Brennan Family, Lenore Vickrey, As the arena began to fill up, you could hear the noise of the crowd from backstage. Mosley tribes Lyndel . Both concerts were sold out. Alabama | Garage Hangover As Brennan recalls it, the Beach Boys were paid $7,500 for their performance, and the Rolling Stones received $5,000. All who attended the big September 19th show must present ticket stub at gate between 12 noon and 1PM. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. From what we can tell, she appeared there in 1970, but the story mentions Dec. 3, 1970, as the date of her show. Though theyve had other jobs over the years, neither Jones nor Beavers have stopped playing music. Bobby Darin. By 1972 the heyday of the big shows had passed. You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if you publish it online or in print . I was blown away. Many regulars from the Kove days brought their grown children and will likely do so again. ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. "Best concert I caught in this state was at Memorial Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1978 Lowell George and Little Feat. Their big prize was three VOX . Dan Brennan had the honor of introducing the Beatles. Garrett Coliseum Montgomery Concert Setlists City Montgomery, AL, United States Add Montgomery venue Address 1555 Federal Drive Montgomery, AL 36107 USA Opened 1963 Web Official Website Garrett Coliseum on Wikipedia Info Located at he Alabama Agricultural Center. Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. We would skip class and work setting up the stages for free admission and backstage passes. I always got seats on the floor for the shows. There was a little jealousy there.". Several members still play in other bands for private parties, or solo at local restaurants, and on June 9, several members of Harmony plan a reunion show at the Blue Iguana in Prattville. THE PROMOTIONAL POSTER OF THE WBAM, BIG BAM WINTER SPECTACULAR, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1967! But it was one of many concerts organized by the Brennans, as they sought to cement listeners' loyalty to WVOK in Birmingham, WBAM-AM in Montgomery and WAPE in Jacksonville. big bam shows montgomery, alabama the tall man aboriginal spirit; metadata api request failed: component conversion failed: file_ended; caleb foote sandlot ", From rtrmark: "Alice Cooper. "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . Clapton! The WMAQ slogan came from a contest where winners would have to answer the phone "WMAQ's gonna make me rich," so you had people using the phrase anytime. From 1963 to 73 the Big BAM shows and their counterpart in Birmingham, the Shower of Stars shows, presented four concerts a year. Lindley. Its magic, said Beavers. Renamed Rock Hull Band in 77 before reclaiming original name in 90. By the time we got to the steps of the BJCC a guy had a shoebox full of tickets that he was trying to sell for a buck each. Roy Orbison. And the Brennans knew how to put on a show.. I told Jimbo we should all come in with walkers, laughed Beavers. Springsteen played the 'short end' of the the Beard-Eaves with the curtain up. The Brennan familysold itsstake in AM radio a few years later,and hemoved on to WRKK-FM, an album-rock station known as K-99. Grier continued to sing with trios and orchestras, performing at wedding receptions and private parties. pigella miraculous ladybug power. When I got on stage the drum kit seat was way too high. The Rockin' Rebellions entered the big VOX (sound equipment) sponsored "WVOK Battle of the Bands" contest held at the Boutwell Auditorium in downtown Birmingham on May 20, 1967. . +40 (724) 307.599 Lu - Vi: 9:00 - 18:00; big bam shows montgomery, alabama Montgomery, AL | Data USA Alabama State Coliseum (1951-1963) Garrett Coliseum (1963-) Oct 5 2019 The Quad show was FREE! For an 18-year-old to take home a pillowsack full of dollars, that was quite a heady time.. The following year 13 acts played in WVOKs Shower of Stars show at Legion Field in Birmingham. View the Full Page. Of all the concerts I've been to in my lifetime, this one was the most memorable. Where else could you scream your head off while watching a dozen live acts play the hit songs you listened to on your transistor radio for the whopping ticket price of $2.50? Louise Brennan, Cyril's wife, at the Beatles' press conference in Jacksonville. But Brennandoes have many stories to share -- about preventing a fistfight between two starswho wanted theclosing spot in Birmingham, or example, or puzzling over two entertainerswho showed up in Montgomery, both claiming to be country singer Bobby Edwards. nellson nutraceutical revenue; arlington catholic basketball roster; jack cawood and suzy hunt; lawn vacuum for acorns rental. ", "Leo Kottke, Foster Auditorium, UA campus, about 1974," said 57939names. The bands would come in cars -- just plain old cars -- and they'd get their guitars out and walk past you. The early concert didn't begin until it was time for the second one, but it was worth the wait. Cosmic Slop was classic, turned that mother out. ", 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. The Rogues of Montgomery, AL cut one great rock single, "Put You Down" b/w a version of "Stormy Monday Blues". shimano ep8 630wh battery range One of the Beach Boys told me it was the biggest talent show hed ever been in!. December 24, 1958: Jerry Lee Lewis ; December 12, 1959: Fabian, The Fleetwoods, The Browns, Floyd Robinson and Bobby Lee Trammell Gate Band The Huntsville Times file photo/Michael Proffitt. The Righteous Brothers. I said, 'Cyril, what do you think we ought to do?' ", "This is so subjective and there are way too many to pick from. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He kicked it off with (what else?) ", From estevev: "Of the ones I attended, the most memorable ones were -- Ike and Tina Turner Review, Plush Horse, (1974? From Sell it to the tourists: "I saw an amazing Harry Chapin show at the BJCC Concert Hall in around 1978? The last concert at Big Bam Fall Spectacular was on September 30, 1966. For more, visit Rich's YouTube Channel . Johnny Cash. He remembers the Kove days with Harvest/Harmony fondly, not only for the bands music but the people who came to see them. One big favorite, however, appears to be a '70s date at Legion Field. Big Bam Show Montgomery, Al 1960s F.U.N. | Views, Montgomery, Pandora "It was a promotional thing for us. Competition was evident between the two bands, Brennan says, as the Beach Boys returned for their splashiest date at the Shower of Stars, and the Stones made theirBirmingham debut on their first U.S. tour. Memorial Coliseum, now known as Coleman Coliseum. In 2020, the median property value in Montgomery, AL was $121,100, and the homeownership rate was 54.1%. WVOK used Legion Field as a test case that spring, Brennan says, to see if the Shower of Stars could work at Birmingham's largest venue. $14 million dollar house maine; And they accepted it, but we did get the total amount of the gate that came in. In 1964 the Brennans Jacksonville, Florida station, WAPE, hosted the Beatles in concert at the Gator Bowl (see sidebar below). "Bill" Brennan, Billy Benns (Jr.) and Mrs. Luella B. Aldridge. They actually were already signed to join, when Peace Concerts booked the January 31, 1975 show. 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. The Brennan Brothers were radio broadcast innovators of the 1950s and 60s, when they owned and operated powerhouse stations in Jacksonville, Chattanooga, and . Gobs of people have asked us when were going to do another reunion. The Young Rascals. WVOK Shower of Stars | Flickr (L-R) Bob Corley, David Headley, Cary Green, Jeffery Johnson, Bob Pike, John Key. Tickets cost $3 apiece. By nature, talent and inclination, Brennanwasentirely suited to the family business; thousands of fans knew his voice and remembered his name. WBAM FM - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia They enjoy reminiscing about the stars, the shows and the fans who made it possible. When was the last concert at Big Bam Fall Spectacular? "Rickwood Field, late 70's. Some of the concerts took place in a single location -- most often, Jacksonville. Butspeaking in general terms, each also hada specialty: Bill the visionaryentrepreneur, Cyril the tech-mindedpioneer, Dan the key concert producer and a smooth, recognizable voice at WVOK. Nov 2011 Prime Montgomery by Bob Corley - Issuu That's how we put together our shows. His current band, The Soul Crackas, does many of the same soul hits the Rockin Gibraltar performed. The most entertaining act? One of the best concerts ever for Blues in Birmingham. 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. This doesn't even scratch the surface! The other name band on the show was the Allman Brothers, they had just released their first album. There are still a lot of local bands out there, said Sonny Grier, lead singer with the Rockin Gibraltars. The largest universities in Montgomery, AL are Auburn University at Montgomery (975 degrees awarded in 2020), Faulkner University (844 degrees), and Alabama State University (712 degrees). 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! Viva La Bam is an American reality television series that stars Bam Margera and his friends and family. These are just a few of the acts presentedby the Brennans during the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. In the 1950s and '60s, Montgomery, Alabama, was ground zero f. Home; My Books; Browse . We were considered the number one soul band in the south. "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. The wildest thing other than the Troggs rocking out to "Wild Thing" and whipping around long dirty hanks of British hair was Lou Christie. They have reformed several times with different members, playing for Lee High School reunions. We had a fabulous time.. ", From Ken Cole: "I was at Jerry Lee Lewis in Boutwell in the mid '60s when I was a kid. We stayed at the same hotel as them. The capsule was opened during a ceremony December 3, but a complete list of its contents were not released at the time. "Hendrix, Joplin, the Who, Elvis, Dylan all played in Tuscaloosa," said Jeremy Don McCollough. 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. The Show That Almost Happened After helping escort her safely away from an unruly crowd, she rewarded him with a big kiss. Props. 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. "Radio played the song every twenty minutes. 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. The father of six and grandfather of two currently lives in Montgomery and plays with the Bama Breeze Band. "I remember the Rolling Stones came up to me, and they said, 'You don't really expect us to get into the same RV that the Beach Boys are in, do you?' Bob Brennen gave me these. We played a lot of soul music, the Beatles, the Stones, he said. The show is a spin-off from MTV 's Jackass, in which Margera and most of the main cast appeared. Thats not to say Montgomery area favorite bands cant be seen any more. Shop Patio & Garden, including exclusive patio furniture from brands like Broyhill. ", From bhamboost: "Parliament Funkadelic Mothership Connection 1976. "He said, 'Dan, I like to play for you here in town, but I don't want you to ever book me on a show like this again. ", Several readers mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd as a given, pointing to various concerts throughout the state. It was a clear channel station that covered over 90 counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and could be heard everywhere. 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. We came along at just the right time.. 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. Hendrix only played a limited number of concerts before he died and the one in Tuscaloosa blew the top off Memorial Coliseum. The concert series started around 1960 with such stars as Fabian and Brenda Lee. Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, USA Concert Setlists | setlist.fm 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 Studio Phone Number: (334) 244-9898. Business Office/Studios 4101-A Wall Street Montgomery, AL 36106. Im content where Im at, said Beavers, except I could lose about 80 pounds.. Several others mentioned seeing the Rolling Stones in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. For fans, half the fun was trying for a glimpse of the stars at their hotel or coming to and from the coliseum. "There was a police line for the Beatles to run through, and the stage was built up so people couldn't get to them.". In the 1960s and early 1970s, the station sponsored a series of pop/rock concerts known as "Big BAM Shows" featuring acts ranging from Paul Revere and the Raiders, Lou Christie, and The Beach Boys to comedian Pat Paulsen. Pin on The Old Record Case - pinterest.com From kwe: "The best I've seen are all of the Big Bam shows during the '60s in Montgomery, Garrett Coliseum; Eagles, 1977 in Mobile: Fleetwood Mac, 1977 in Bham CC; Atlanta Rhythm Section, 1978 in Troy Sartain; Heart/America, 1985 in Montgomery CC; Stevie Ray Vaughn/Joe Cocker, 1986 in Bham Oak Mtn; Rolling Stones, 1989 in Bham Legion Field; John Fogerty/Willie Nelson, 2006 in Bham Oak Mtn; Chicago, 2011 in Mtgy MPAC. Back then, thats what music was about, remembers Bobby Dupree, 63, drummer with The Rockin Gibraltars, a popular Montgomery-based group in the 60s. Yes, the Beatles' performance was "a really big show," as Ed Sullivan wouldhave said. 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. I have such fond memories of coming to Alabama. Many who danced the night away to the Rockin Gibraltars or who nursed a beer and smoked a cigarette listening to Harmony, recall those days with particular fondness and with nostalgia for a time that wont likely return. ", From dassani: "I was there Could not have been better! I believe that city has a particular significance to you. big bam shows montgomery, alabamasmart search field in safari. ", Jerry Tavin/Photo courtesy of Everett Collection, From mcarter3: "Uhh. Where's Jimi Hendrix's concert at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1969? Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. In Birmingham, we know of only one man who's had the honor: Dan Brennan, a former radio host, station manager, concert promoter and prime moverat WVOK-AM. go to da moon copy and paste. Skyping with a Hermit ", From Jeremy Don McCollough: "Guns N' Roses played the Birmingham race course, it was a muddy mess. Big Lots Prattville: Furniture, mattress & home product store in WBAM-FM Wikipedia Republished // WIKI 2 WBAM-FM - ipfs.fleek.co ", From Denniswingo: "The Grateful Dead in 1978 at the Boutwell Auditorium. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC.