Red Robinson's Legends

My friend and pop music legend Pat Boone is celebrating his 86th birthday today! We go back a long way. My November 29th, 1957 Vancouver Sun column saluted Pat:

"Pat Boone, contender for the top vocalist of 1957, was on hand for the gala premiere last week at the Roxy of his second motion picture 'April Love'. It was one of the biggest premieres ever staged in New York. The show will be seen in Vancouver for the Christmas season. In conjunction with this movie, Dot Records has released an album of songs from 'April Love'. Besides having a big contract with Twentieth Century Fox, Pat has his own television show."

I didn't meet Pat until 1963, when his biggest days as a hit recording artist were behind him. I found him to be one of the most likeable people in or out of show business. Those who were not around in the early days of Rock don't realize that next to Elvis Presley, Pat Boone was the most consistent and most popular of the teenage idols of that era. Pat sold more than 45 million records and he had 38 Top 40 hits. According to Billboard, Pat Boone was the second-biggest charting artist of the late 1950s, behind only Elvis.

Some have said he was a bland artist. I hardly think so. When Pat Boone burst forth it was a time when black artists couldn't break the charts. His initial success came about through his "covering" of Rhythm and Blues hits like Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame" and Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti". Some say he took the guts of the R & B music and diluted it. It is my opinion that he sang it as he felt it. Regardless of opinion, this man did a hell of a lot to advance the black music of the Fifties and his string of hits proves that the public at large liked him. After his initial fling with R&B, he moved toward ballads where he continued to be a success. Pat was a wholesome image for Rock and Roll and maybe he kept it from being wiped out.

Like Presley, he made movies: "Bernadine", "April Love" and "State Fair". These were family shows in the true sense of the meaning of that expression. They did well at the box office but not quite in the same league as the sensational Elvis Presley. Whether he was too good to be real or not, the wild frenzy of the Sixties was to take its toll. The public stopped buying Pat Boone records. His last chart action came about in 1969 with a version of "July You're A Woman". Like Elvis, his place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is assured if for no other reason than he made it possible for black music to be bought and heard. Are you listening, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

In our interview, Pat shares the story of his early career with Dot Records; the changing relationship between artists and radio; how he met a kid named Elvis Presley in Cleveland; Pat encourages a young Roy Orbison; his often misunderstood role in our wider acceptance of black music; his movie career; facing challenges as an entertainer and making a spiritual commitment; the enduring success of rock'n'roll; what he'd like to remembered for. Recorded in 1989 in Vancouver.

Visit Pat and stay in touch at patboone.com, @patbooneofficial on Facebook, or @ThePatBoone on Twitter. The Pat Boone Hour, "music and memories that fit a dedicated theme each week", airs Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday on SiriusXM's 50's on 5. Check siriusxm.com/50son5 for details and show times.

The book you can listen to, Red Robinson: The Last Broadcast, is available now from friesenpress.com, chaptersindigo.ca, amazon.com, amazon.ca, barnesandnoble.com, play.google.com and books.apple.com

"The Last Broadcast" with Red's special guests Pat O'Day and Bruce Allen, aired on CISL650/Vancouver on August 27, 2017.

"Robinson happily includes The Beatles in his playlist for the final broadcast, and instead of recounting yet again the pandemonium at Empire Stadium 53 years and two days ago, he asks O’Day if he emceed the band in Seattle for KJR.

'Yes I did, but my story goes back before that,' O’Day replies. 'Little known, Murray the K in New York claims he was the first to play The Beatles in the U.S. Not true! The first Beatles record played on the radio in the U.S. was by KJR, and it was 'Please Please Me.'"

In this episode, Pat recalls his part in the instant success of the record, and he shares a story about how Paul McCartney's wedding to actress Jane Asher after the Beatles' 1966 Seattle concert turned out to be an elaborate prank.

The Show of Stars for 1957 featured the changing appearance of Rock and Roll. The line-up for this event included Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Frankie Avalon, George Hamilton IV, Buddy Knox, The Everly Brothers, Paul Anka and Eddie Cochran. Anyone even remotely interested in Rock and Roll today can appreciate the significance of this show. Even by today's standards it was big. The line-up was not only impressive in its day, it was historic.

I was most anxious to meet Buddy Holly. There was special meaning here. The Show of Stars was held in September and Buddy and the Crickets had their first hit in August. The song was "That'll Be The Day".

In those early days of Rock and Roll, I loved the music and I would listen to every single new release. Both sides. I liked "That'll Be The Day" and played it for months on CKWX before it ever made a mark on the national charts. In those days Cash Box magazine had a page filled with top ten records from various deejays. I was one of the few Canadians on that page. I had listed "That'll Be The Day" on my top ten hit list for six weeks running.

In this interview, Buddy and I talk about how my listing of the song brought it to the attention of other radio stations across North America. His record company made a special presentation to me thanking me for playing "That'll Be The Day" and listing it week after week in Cash Box.

From the moment Buddy Holly and I met there was a bond. He was a country boy with much enthusiasm. He was happy to have had a hit and was intent on adding to his success. In our interview I ask him what he has coming out and he says they had just recorded a song called "Oh, Boy". It was soon to be another Holly hit with the Crickets. In late 1957 it rose to the Top 10.

Buddy Holly was a diamond in the rough. In this photo you can see that his teeth are in bad shape and his glasses are not as stylish as they might be. It didn't matter to the audience that night in Vancouver. The music of the Crickets filled the hall and Buddy Holly was recognized by the crowd as something original.

Buddy Holly grew up in Lubbock, Texas and was featured with Bill Haley and the Comets on a show in his hometown. A Decca record scout saw Buddy perform and signed him. This arrangement didn't work out. It wasn't until later when Holly recorded "That'll Be The Day" for Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico, that it all came together.

In many ways I can see now what writers mean when they say a man becomes a legend after he has passed on to his final reward. The stories of Buddy Holly's life are blown all out of proportion to the real man. As a young deejay, I was impressed only with the sincerity, the energy, the youth and the happiness of a young man doing something he obviously loved to do more than anything on this earth — to sing his song.

Buddy Holly was a giant for what he offered the world in the form of his music, but he was just like you and me in person. My memory of Buddy is one of a warm, average guy you would like to call your friend. He was extraordinary by being ordinary in an entertainment world filled with giant egos. I could see all of Buddy Holly that night in Vancouver so long ago because he was unguarded, he was a real flesh and blood human being. He wasn't a star someone had manufactured for mass consumption. Buddy Holly was an honest to God talent.

Playing straight man to Jonathan Winters was one of the most wonderful experiences of my career. Jonathan and I cut a series of TV commercials for Hudson’s Bay Company in Vancouver in 1976. Neither one of us worked with a script, just a general outline of the commercial. Jonathan threw me a line and I ad libbed the wrong line in reply. Realizing what I said, I fell to one side and Jonathan broke up. I am the collapsing Santa and Jonathan is playing a kid, albeit smoking a Cuban cigar.

Jonathan Winters was not only a great funny man but a wonderful human being. We spent many hours together and he loved to collect Indian art (being part native himself). When Jonathan died in 2013 at 87, my friend and Seattle radio legend Pat O’Day wrote:

“I am so saddened at the departure of Jonathan Winters. I guess I dreamed he would always be alive somewhere. His was a mind and style that somehow always typified the way characters he introduced would think and talk with others. He always painted those mental pictures, taking you to the scene of the conversation. He was never politically concerned. He always told his stories just to me! He had that delightful mind that he could convert to being whatever character he was at the time. You always knew he was such a nice guy in person due to the loving characters he employed. Not the future, nor the past, will ever develop another Jonathan Winters. Truly, one of a kind! I hope up in heaven they book him to do some shows. Even they would love some Winters laughs.”

I miss him as does the world. He brought us the greatest gift of all: humour. Next time you see a stand-up comic, think of Jonathan... because some of the routine you are witnessing most likely began with Jonathan Winters. If there was a Mount Rushmore for comics he would be up there.

Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits was one of the freshest acts to visit Vancouver from England. His group had a humourous approach to the music of the day. Material like "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter", "I'm Henry VIII, I Am", and "Silhouettes" made them acceptable both to the youth of the day and the adult population.

Peter toured North America as part of the British Invasion. He has visited Vancouver many times, appearing at EXPO 86 where he did this interview.

Peter came to the Red Robinson Show Theatre in 2008, 2011 and again in 2013. He always brought good cheer, great music and great humour. Greeting Peter at the 2013 show was old friend and original Hermits manager... the one and only Andrew Loog Oldham.

Peter is touring the US this summer, and he's doing a Concerts At Sea cruise in the Caribbean next January with Paul Revere's Raiders, B.J.Thomas and the Fifth Dimension! More at concertsatsea.com

Visit Peter at peternoone.com. He's on Facebook @HermansHermitsStarringPeterNoone and Twitter @peternoone.

Don't touch that dial! The radio show in a book, Red Robinson: The Last Broadcast, is at friesenpress.com, chaptersindigo.ca, amazon.com, amazon.ca, barnesandnoble.com, play.google.com and books.apple.com

"The Last Broadcast" with Red's special guests Pat O'Day and Bruce Allen aired on CISL650/Vancouver on August 27, 2017.

"Defining a certain era as 'the good old days' is entirely subjective, but while show producer Art Factora expects decades from now to tell his son how magical the early years of the 21st century were, he appreciates that Robinson and his contemporaries back in their time thrived on achievement rather than entitlement, and that everyone’s skins were a lot thicker, and that adversity was viewed as a necessary part of the game.

'I envy a lot of things about their era,' he says. 'You could talk freely and express a whole range of ideas. You were responsible for your own success or failure – there was no nanny state to make excuses on your behalf. Things didn’t seem so watered down back then.'”

In this episode, Pat and Bruce recall the recording of Strangers In The Night, the guys swap stories about Jimmy Bowen, Bruce tells the story behind Elvis' biggest hit Suspicious Minds, and Red and Bruce pay tribute to the late Charlie Rich.

How lack of distribution and promotion affects exposure of a hit record; the music industry needs to be aware of an artist's enduring appeal to his audience; how badly the press treated Elvis until his death; Roy looks ahead to the next step in his career. Recorded in Vancouver, July 1978

Roy Orbison was one of the original Sun Recording stars, but his long stay with Monument Records brought his greatest success. By the time we booked Roy into Vancouver his list of top sellers was most impressive: memorable songs like "Uptown", "Only The Lonely", "Blue Angel", "I'm Hurtin'", the classic "Running Scared", "Crying" and "Candy Man". Roy Orbison charted 29 hits, establishing him as one of the biggest chartbusters of the early Sixties.

Friend and business partner Les Vogt and I became good friends with Roy over the years and he appeared in Vancouver many times. When we were not the promoters we always found time to get together during his visits. Les became his de facto manager during a period when Roy was without a record contract. Roy was not alone at that particular time as the record business was going through some major changes. The artists who started rock and roll suddenly found themselves out of favor.

Les suggested Roy move from Nashville to Los Angeles. He did and his shows in and around the L. A. area were sold out. After the first show backstage, Roy was surprised to find people like Linda Ronstadt and others in the industry praising his talent. This gave him a new lease on life and he began his creative process all over again. From this “second wind” came his collaborative effort with the Traveling Wilburys and his new hits like I Drove All Night and You Got It.

When Les and I were planning the acts for EXPO 86 we thought our old friend Roy Orbison would be a great headliner. Roy was on the comeback trail with the Traveling Wilburys and his Mystery Girl CD was enjoying success. He agreed without hesitation, saying “I will cancel some appearances and work with you, as you and Les were the only people to give me a bonus in my entire career.”

Roy Orbison was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 by Bruce Springsteen. He died of a heart attack on December 6, 1988, at the peak of his renewed popularity. Roy gets my vote as the nicest performer I ever met. He was a wonderful, honourable guy. We miss him and his music.

Roy recalls his early days at Sun Records; Elvis' Texas performances and the unique sound of Scotty Moore's guitar; Johnny Cash puts Roy in touch with Sam Phillips; the secret of the Sun Sound; Roy works briefly with Chet Atkins at RCA before signing with Monument Records in 1959; the success of "Uptown" and "Only The Lonely"; Roy tells the story behind recording "Running Scared". Recorded in Vancouver, July 1978

Roy Orbison was one of the original Sun Recording stars, but his long stay with Monument Records brought his greatest success. By the time we booked Roy into Vancouver his list of top sellers was most impressive: memorable songs like "Uptown", "Only The Lonely", "Blue Angel", "I'm Hurtin'", the classic "Running Scared", "Crying" and "Candy Man". Roy Orbison charted 29 hits, establishing him as one of the biggest chartbusters of the early Sixties.

Friend and business partner Les Vogt and I became good friends with Roy over the years and he appeared in Vancouver many times. When we were not the promoters we always found time to get together during his visits. Les became his de facto manager during a period when Roy was without a record contract. Roy was not alone at that particular time as the record business was going through some major changes. The artists who started rock and roll suddenly found themselves out of favor.

Les suggested Roy move from Nashville to Los Angeles. He did and his shows in and around the L. A. area were sold out. After the first show backstage, Roy was surprised to find people like Linda Ronstadt and others in the industry praising his talent. This gave him a new lease on life and he began his creative process all over again. From this “second wind” came his collaborative effort with the Traveling Wilburys and his new hits like I Drove All Night and You Got It.

When Les and I were planning the acts for EXPO 86 we thought our old friend Roy Orbison would be a great headliner. Roy was on the comeback trail with the Traveling Wilburys and his Mystery Girl CD was enjoying success. He agreed without hesitation, saying “I will cancel some appearances and work with you, as you and Les were the only people to give me a bonus in my entire career.”

Roy Orbison was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 by Bruce Springsteen. He died of a heart attack on December 6, 1988, at the peak of his renewed popularity. Roy gets my vote as the nicest performer I ever met. He was a wonderful, honourable guy. We miss him and his music.

Roy shares the story of "Lana" and its success a couple of years after leaving Monument; working with songwriter Joe Melson and writing solo; how great music makes a simple emotional connection; Roy moves to LA from Nashville and Linda Ronstadt records "Blue Bayou". Recorded in Vancouver, July 1978

Roy Orbison was one of the original Sun Recording stars, but his long stay with Monument Records brought his greatest success. By the time we booked Roy into Vancouver his list of top sellers was most impressive: memorable songs like "Uptown", "Only The Lonely", "Blue Angel", "I'm Hurtin'", the classic "Running Scared", "Crying" and "Candy Man". Roy Orbison charted 29 hits, establishing him as one of the biggest chartbusters of the early Sixties.

Friend and business partner Les Vogt and I became good friends with Roy over the years and he appeared in Vancouver many times. When we were not the promoters we always found time to get together during his visits. Les became his de facto manager during a period when Roy was without a record contract. Roy was not alone at that particular time as the record business was going through some major changes. The artists who started rock and roll suddenly found themselves out of favor.

Les suggested Roy move from Nashville to Los Angeles. He did and his shows in and around the L. A. area were sold out. After the first show backstage, Roy was surprised to find people like Linda Ronstadt and others in the industry praising his talent. This gave him a new lease on life and he began his creative process all over again. From this “second wind” came his collaborative effort with the Traveling Wilburys and his new hits like I Drove All Night and You Got It.

When Les and I were planning the acts for EXPO 86 we thought our old friend Roy Orbison would be a great headliner. Roy was on the comeback trail with the Traveling Wilburys and his Mystery Girl CD was enjoying success. He agreed without hesitation, saying “I will cancel some appearances and work with you, as you and Les were the only people to give me a bonus in my entire career.”

Roy Orbison was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 by Bruce Springsteen. He died of a heart attack on December 6, 1988, at the peak of his renewed popularity. Roy gets my vote as the nicest performer I ever met. He was a wonderful, honourable guy. We miss him and his music.

Paul Revere and The Raiders sign with Columbia; the band visits Vancouver in 1962; Mark remembers booking agent Pat Mason and Seattle radio legend Pat O'Day; his career after the Raiders; performing live; his appearance on "Married With Children"; what he's been up to lately, including a book. Recorded at CISL/Vancouver in 1997.