| In the 1950's, television sets were only
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| | singing Fingertips (1&2). Singer
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| affordable for the privileged, so my
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| | songwriters had block-busters at that
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| family could not afford one, and so we
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| | time, and they were so young! How could
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| listened to radio. My uncle had a
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| | so much talent exist throughout the
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| television at his house, and when us kids
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| | 1960's? The television shows "Shin Dig"
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| first saw a television set for the first
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| | and Solid Gold added to the popularity of
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| time, we were afraid of it! Hey, we were
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| | rock and roll, and spread the word, as
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| 10-12 years old, and there were few
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| | did the Ed Sullivan Show, where many
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| television sets anywhere in the country!
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| | newcomers got their start, including
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| We wondered, as kids, how they could get
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| | Elvis and the Beatles!As kids, we
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| all those little human figures in such a
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| | couldn't afford (45rpm records), but we
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| little box! (Isn't that crazy?)In the
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| | had a friend down the street, whose
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| late 1950's, my father bought a
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| | parents bought their daughter records,
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| television set, and we watched shows like
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| | and we went over there all the time to
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| Lucy; the Honeymooners; Leave It To
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| | boogie to the latest hits! The dance
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| Beaver; Ozzie and Harriet; 77 Sunset
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| | craze, at the time was called,
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| Strip; Life of Riley; Flash Gordon; the
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| | "Band-standing," which was similar to
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| Millionaire, etc. Television was new to
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| | jitter-bugging, and later the dance
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| everyone all across the country. But,
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| | partners dropped apart, and danced on
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| there was one television show, that was a
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| | their own, and the dance was called the
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| MUST on our to-do list...was American
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| | "slop!" In 2006, the "slop" is still
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| Bandstand! The oldest American
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| | around, it's just called by a different
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| teen-ager, Dick Clark, hosted the show
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| | name!Throughout the 1960's, I loved to
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| for many years, when it was broadcast
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| | see the American Music Awards, because
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| (live) out of Philadelphia
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| | there were all the "biggies" who lead the
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| EVERYDAY!Because of American Bandstand,
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| | way in rock and roll. Woodstock? A big
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| it was television and rock and roll that
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| | orgie of over 500,000 people in New York!
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| teamed up, to spread the music of rock
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| | It was a time of free-love; dope and
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| and roll throughout the country. As
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| | alcohol. And, the 1960's were violent
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| kids, we watched all the singers and
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| | times...not only because of Viet Nam, but
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| groups that came out on American
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| | because of the civil rights movement;
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| Bandstand to showcase their talents.
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| | women's lib; equal rights for all. And,
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| What was amazing, is the fact, that many
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| | the music of the time reflected the mood
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| of these stars were only teen-agers or in
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| | of the country! It was a time of, "do
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| their early twenties at the time...such
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| | your own thing," independent
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| as Smokey Robinson; Leslie Gore; Carol
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| | thinking...free and clear from the
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| King; Buddy Holly; Paul Anka; Neal
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| | "establishment!" Hundreds of protest
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| Sedaka; and many others. Many of the
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| | songs were written during this era! And,
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| hits they sang...they wrote themselves!
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| | hundreds of those songs are still popular
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| And, the hits they wrote back then, still
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| | today! (2006)I would say that around
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| thrive today! (2006)At the community
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| | 1970, rock and roll began to change. On
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| center down the street where we lived, we
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| | the one side, was "heavy metal," which I
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| attended dances, and there was only one
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| | did not listen to! And, going in a
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| dance going on at the
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| | different direction was something called,
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| time..."Band-standing," which was similar
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| | disco! Somebody puts these labels on
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| to jitter-bugging! Everyone on American
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| | music, and to this day in 2006, I have no
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| Bandstand did it, so we could learn from
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| | idea what "disco" means! The only thing
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| them! It was exciting to get off from
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| | I can say about disco, is that me and my
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| school about three in the afternoon, and
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| | wife saw the movie, "Grease" in the
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| race home, so we could see American
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| | 1970's, and we loved the music! The
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| Bandstand everyday about 4:00 in the
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| | movie itself was a dork...but the music
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| afternoon. One after another...all the
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| | was great!It was the beginning of rock
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| biggies of rock and roll came on the
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| | and roll in the mid-1950's, and into the
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| show! Little Richard; Jerry Lee Lewis;
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| | mid-1960's, where parents hated for their
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| Connie Francis; the Platters; the
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| | children to listen to rock and roll
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| Drifters; Chuck Berry; the Coasters; Fats
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| | music! In the mid-1990's, I was taking a
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| Domino and
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| | computer course at a local community
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| Elvis-somebody-or-another...and, the list
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| | college, and the Rolling Stones were in
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| was endless! There were, of course, no
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| | town. The community college was located
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| oldies at that time...these singers,
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| | near the football stadium, where the
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| songs and performers were the main
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| | Stones were to perform. That night, I
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| ingredients of the beginning of the rock
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| | got out of class about 6:30 in the
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| and roll era!But, rock and roll was not
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| | evening, before the Stones show, and, as
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| liked by everyone at the time! As a
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| | I waited for a traffic light to change, I
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| matter of fact, it was down-right hated!
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| | noticed 40 and 50 years old PARENTS
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| Parents; schools; the government;
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| | taking their CHILDREN to a Stones
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| churches; and the "establishment,"
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| | concert! Can you imagine that? What a
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| frowned on rock and roll right from the
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| | difference a generation makes! Back in
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| beginning! Rock and roll was corrupting
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| | the 1950's/60's parents hated rock and
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| our kids...was the cry! Certain songs
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| | roll, and now those KIDS are taking their
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| were banned from the church, and the
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| | KIDS to a rock and roll
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| "establishment frowned on rock and roll.
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| | concert...unbelievable!In the year 2006,
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| It was later in the mid-1960's, when the
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| | the oldies dominate the music airwaves,
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| drug culture came onto the scene, and it
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| | and will continue to dominate because the
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| was then...when rock and roll was more
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| | music and lyrics are so great. I never
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| accepted by the establishment! After
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| | hear too much about new music much
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| all, parents thought it was best for
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| | anymore! Oh...well...as the song
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| their kids to be having fun with
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| | says...rock and roll is here to
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| music...than to get into the hazards of
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| | stay...whether the songs be the oldies or
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| drugs!But, rock and roll was here to
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| | the new songs coming along! I've always
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| stay! In the early 1960's, Mo-Town came
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| | admired musicians...those who can sing a
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| onto the scene, which included Smokey
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| | song...write a song...and play an
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| Robinson; Marvin Gaye; the Supremes and
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| | instrument. As for me...the only
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| many more! I remember Little Stevie
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| | instrument I can play...it the
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| Wonder, when he was only ten years old
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| | radio...and, I don't do that well at all!
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