big bam shows montgomery, alabama big bam shows montgomery, alabama

It was just before his popularity exploded. I missed a bunch more, though!". big bam shows montgomery, alabama. Lou Christie was huge in Montgomery. 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. "I don't have any regrets," hesays. We were the opening act and it was the biggest crowd we had ever played before, nearly 30,000 people. ", From Art Meripol: "U2's Zoo Tour at Legion was pretty fun from the floor.". Date:Sun, 5 Jun 2005 09:12:45 -0400 I'll tell you a story about that WBAM show in Montgomery. Roy Orbison. ", Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 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. As a result, Captain and Tennille declined ABC's offer to do a second season. It was the summer after my senior year, said Grier, who was joined by Keith Brewer on bass, Bobby Dupree on drums, Rusty Crumpton on guitar, Ronnie Monroe on trumpet and Ed Sanford on keyboards. There was always so much excitement surrounding the shows, Knapp said. According to Ben Flanagan's story for AL.com, the band also played in Tuscaloosa at Memorial Coliseum, now Coleman Coliseum. They played at YMCAs, American Legion halls, private parties, and dances all over south Alabama, Panama City, Savannah, and Greenville, Miss. But he's sure the introduction was brief, wasting no time as Beatlemania raged. Bob Brennen gave me these. 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. ", From TTownTony: "You cannot even imagine the concerts played in Tuscaloosa before the BJCC was built. . It was just the coolest thing.". The Fab Four wouldnt play to segregated audiences, and at that time this was the case in Alabama. Wed have them in the spring, summer, fall and winter, said Dan Brennan, known on-air as Dan the Music Man hosting Dans Dusty Discs, who also announced acts on-stage. There was this woman who was playing the bongos who literally passed out playing. "People were going crazy, and you couldn't hear anything because the girls were screaming so loud," Bartoletti says. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. From 1963 to 73 the Big BAM shows and their counterpart in Birmingham, the Shower of Stars shows, presented four concerts a year. He and his wife live north of Prattville in a 1930s shack, have three grown children and are expecting their first grandchild. "Eight Days a Week -- The Touring Years. Formed: 1963, Troy. The band has undergone several incarnations. 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. 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). That was one of my first big gigs - the Big BAM shows! I always was impressed about how well the bands performed when they were live, even though the Coliseum acoustics werent so good.. Dan Brennan recalls the reaction from performers. We made $100, remembers Grier. Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. I think we had at least 15,000-16,000 people there. 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. Their annual Big Bam shows, and Show of Stars were traveling medicine shows and featured Lou Christie, Roy Orbison, The Animals. Toni loved doing the show, but Daryl, who never enjoyed being on camera, did not. In 1964 the Brennans Jacksonville, Florida station, WAPE, hosted the Beatles in concert at the Gator Bowl (see sidebar below). Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. 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. Despite her young age -- she was 7 that year -- Bartoletti felt another emotion at the Gator Bowl: extreme pride. "We all felt very privileged," Bartoletti says. By March 15, 2021 No Comments. "Cyril's idea was, 'Tell them to sing, just a little bit, and make sure that we get the right one.' "Marty Robbins came up to me, and he looked so sad," Brennan recalls. Their first gig was at the Wetumpka Recreation Center where admission was $1. "Hendrix, Joplin, the Who, Elvis, Dylan all played in Tuscaloosa," said Jeremy Don McCollough. "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. Hes been in a few movies, raced sports cars and been inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. 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 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. 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 was great! Back then, thats what music was about, remembers Bobby Dupree, 63, drummer with The Rockin Gibraltars, a popular Montgomery-based group in the 60s. Its magic, said Beavers. "And that made a big difference, because people didn't have the opportunity to turn on the TV set and see these artists, after they'd been buying their records. Or Nirvana at Boutwell in 1993?Or Roger McGuinn at Merrimack Hall in 2014? Elton John played three different years and drew over 40,000 total. These are just a few of the acts presentedby the Brennans during the 1950s, '60s and early '70s. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Thats not to say Montgomery area favorite bands cant be seen any more. We were waiting at the Holiday Inn, in the bar at the hotel having a beer. By nature, talent and inclination, Brennanwasentirely suited to the family business; thousands of fans knew his voice and remembered his name. Bobby Darin. go to da moon copy and paste. ", From rtrmark: "Alice Cooper. Formed: 1966, Tallassee. From what we can tell, she appeared there in 1970, but the story mentions Dec. 3, 1970, as the date of her show. Alicia McLeod - Vocals. The audience was huge, sold out, 10,000 or more. We get young people, folks our age, and older folks, he said proudly. Procedimientos. Dislike Share. The Other Side of Montgomery: Growing Up White in the Birthplace of the 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. (L-R) Bob Corley, David Headley, Cary Green, Jeffery Johnson, Bob Pike, John Key. Mountain 1971," said Billy Bromberg. The most popular group, both Brennan brothers agree, was Hermans Hermits (see sidebar below). The bands that performed were: The Beach Boys / lou christie / Ian Whitcomb / The Happenings / the hollies / peter and gordon. So it was a deliberate attempt to identify with people, and to recognize that they were requesting these songs. Rich Thomas Weather. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Jimbo Jones (L) and Tommy Beavers look forward to the reunion of Harmony. We didnt play where people sat around and drank. Can you say Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?". Submit a request Contact us through a specially prepared form. "There was a police line for the Beatles to run through, and the stage was built up so people couldn't get to them.". ", "This is so subjective and there are way too many to pick from. 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. Saw them at the University of Alabama home coming in 1978 as well. They actually were already signed to join, when Peace Concerts booked the January 31, 1975 show. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy Uploaded 11 years ago Music 4; Photos 0; Interview . The Temptations and The Supremes, The TCB Tour, Auburn University, 1972. Our four-piece horn section sets us apart, said Key. One big favorite, however, appears to be a '70s date at Legion Field. ", From UABMBA: "One of the greatest concerts in Alabama was The Rolling Stones with Chuck Berry at Auburn Memorial Coliseum, November 14, 1969. He founded his own company, Brennan Video Productions, in 1982and he continues to work there, transferring VHS tapes, old films and other retro footage to DVDs. The Beatles were paid a fee of $50,000 -- a hefty sum in those days, Brennan says -- and in the thick of the civil rights movement, the band's contract specified that they wouldn't perform for a segregated audience. (Photo courtesy of the Brennan family). I tried to get us all to dress up as the Fruit of the Loom guys but no one wanted to., For musicians who played together for years, there wont be a need to practice much, if at all. He wants to go on late in the show.' "Big Church Night Out" / Newsboys / Sidewalk Prophets / 7eventh Time Down / Blanca / Derek Minor / Brock Gill / Jeremy Willet . The primary reason for the shows was to keep a personal relationship with the listeners, said Dan Brennan, 81, former general manager at WVOK. The detailed map shows the US state of Alabama with boundaries, the location of the state capital Montgomery, major cities and populated places, rivers and lakes, interstate highways, principal highways, railroads and major airports. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Brother Cyril Brennan, 84, was alternately chief engineer, manager, program director and music director at WBAM and also involved in lining up talent. I remember some of them telling us they came to every show that whole year.". By the summer of 1975 hed joined singer and keyboardist Eddie Wohlford and drummer Tommy Beavers to become part of Harvest, the precursor to the group Harmony at the Kove that spawned two major talents who made it big nationally: Tommy Shaw and Beth Nielsen Chapman. For an 18-year-old to take home a pillowsack full of dollars, that was quite a heady time.. I was very happy with doing the work I did. "It cost enough that we were lucky to come out with just enough and break even with it," Brennan says. You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if you publish it online or in print . December 24, 1958: Jerry Lee Lewis ; December 12, 1959: Fabian, The Fleetwoods, The Browns, Floyd Robinson and Bobby Lee Trammell Dan Brennan, center, backstage at the Shower of Stars with with Paul Revere & the Raiders. 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. WVOK Shower Of Stars-Advertisements WBAM-FM - Wikipedia Johnny Carson wanted him on The Tonight Show.Music fans were clamoring for the single and album that featured this emotion-filled song about a man in love with his wife, who planted a . "What's that Frank Sinatra song? Some of the items will go on exhibit starting Thursday at the Alabama. He must have played an hour and 20 minutes or more. A real commercial from the 60's with announcer Bill J Moody .Exciting times as a teen.growing up in Montgomery. We were all so nervous we wore dark sunglasses so nobody could see how scared we were, said Dupree. Canned Heat. Tickets cost $3 apiece. ", From Ken Cole: "I was at Jerry Lee Lewis in Boutwell in the mid '60s when I was a kid. 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. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. Disbanded in 66, reunited 76, returned to active performance 1991. 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. 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. (In 1965, Legion Field could seat more than 68,000 people.) Alabama Shakespeare Festival 192 Theaters By Questovia Attended the production of Macbeth in this stunning theater and enjoyed every moment of it. "In those days, you could go to a concert and there was only one back door. "Best concert I caught in this state was at Memorial Coliseum in Tuscaloosa in 1978 Lowell George and Little Feat. 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. And if we hadn't had (Hurricane Dora), we would have made a lot of money. Joplin died on Oct. 4, 1970. The Rolling Stones. zhonb.zulukazahn.best By today's standards, his solution to the latter problemseems charmingly old-school. It was a real happening thing.. Springsteen played the 'short end' of the the Beard-Eaves with the curtain up. Top (l-r), Keith Brewer, Ed Sanford and Sonny Grier. Read reviews from world's largest community for readers. Carl Perkins. Steve Lander, who originally booked Harvest at the Kove in 1975, has offered the Blue Iguana free for the night. Both Shaw and Chapman have gone on to stardom as performers and songwriters.]. The Quad show was FREE! Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis were on the bill, said Whitwam of their first performance at Garrett Coliseum. Ticket prices were $2 for shows in the early 1960s, gradually increasing to a top price of $5.50, a pittance by todays standards. Whitwam, now in his 47th year playing music, is pleased with the makeup of their current audiences. Pitiful (Otis Redding) sound so much better with real horns.. WBAM-FM - ipfs.fleek.co Chuck Berry was awesome and the Stones in their early days were unbelievable.". So we had another beer. Bottom (l-r), Ronnie Monroe, Bobby Dupree and Rusty Crumpton. Then another. Now sales manager for a Dothan radio station, Moody fondly remembers working as a teenager at a 1959 WBAM concert featuring singer Connie Francis. Its better than not being remembered at all.. Formed: 1972, Tuscaloosa. 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. Im content where Im at, said Beavers, except I could lose about 80 pounds.. "Radio played the song every twenty minutes. One of the Beach Boys told me it was the biggest talent show hed ever been in!. 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.