Music in the 1970’s. Which artists and songs define the 1970’s?
Artists such as Eric Clapton, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Barry White, Eagles, Aerosmith, John Lennon and the Rolling Stones are just some of the groups that people will remember. Most of them were left over members of groups from the 60’s and now had groups of their own. Even in the year of 1970 we still had the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Beatles in the Billboard charts.
There were so many good songs in the 1970’s that certain ones stand out more than others. So what are some of the songs that throw you right back into the 1970’s?
Maybe the Guess Who, American Woman or Brownsville Station, Smoking in the boys room, or maybe songs by Three Dog Night. Still in the early 1970’s we Heavy Metal music or Hard Rock gain a cult with such groups as Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Then we also had R&B groups like James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, Earth Wind and Fire, the Tower of Power, Ohio Players, the Commodores, War and Kool and the Gang. So with all these groups around, what about pop music, some people enjoyed these bands and some didn’t but it wouldn’t be the 70’ with out them. You can’t forget the Carpenters, Jackson Five, Bee Gees, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Chicago. Or what about the ladies like Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Carole King, Donna Summer, these are just some of the ladies that also defined the music of the 1970’s.
This will be part 1 of our various artists of the 1970’s. So listen to the Little Red Rooster Show on the all new classic hit station KWMC 1490AM and find out more on these artists and unheard stories about themselves and their songs that gave us a whole new generation of classic songs in the early 1970’s. And as usual, all information and facts about the artists and songs are by Wendy Johnson and all artist of the month shows are produced by Javier Martinez Sr.

If people were to understand more about music of the 1970’s, they would know that it was an era of either some great music and a bunch of one it wonders. The 1980s were full of one hit wonders and a lot of re-makes of music from the 60’s. Although many bands in the 70’s had good music, it was still being made by left over members from other groups of the 1960’s and although several of these bands had many good songs, there just isn’t anything interesting about their career.
Example, Chicago, Elton John, David Bowie, Paul McCartney and any of the Disco groups ect. you would have to go to their beginnings in music and you end up right back into the 1960’s.  Those are the people who gave us some decent music and that was it. In this case another group that fits into that category, the group “America”, thats right, starting out in 1967 in London they were the sons of U.S. Air Force officers stationed in the U.K..
Starting out into the music business with borrowed acoustic guitars and taking their name from the “Americana” jukebox that was in their local mess hall and the name was chosen because they did not want anyone to think that they were a British band trying to sound American. “A horse with no name” was an instant hit in the U. K. in 1972. Their first concert appearance as in an Ontario Collage supporting the Everly Brothers. While this song only made it to #3 in the U.K.,it made it to #1 in the U.S. taking over Neil Young’s song “Heart of Gold” and sadly the rest of their career is the same as a lot of other bands, how many gold records, how many platinum records,and of course as always there’s the “The Greatest Hits” album.
Tune in to the “Little Red Rooster Show” on KWMC’s 1490 AM Classic Hits Station and enjoy the laid back music of “America”. All known facts and stories are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.

In 1969 this band forms from remnants of early 60’s Long Beach, California group “The Creators”, who then became “Night Shift” and were only successful on the local circuit. Also around 1969 Jerry Goldstein was looking for a blues-based black band to accompany former lead singer for “The Animals” Eric Burdon. By June of 1969 the name “WAR” is decided as their new name for the band. By 1970 the band tours the U.S. and then moves to the U.K. and Europe. in July 1970 WAR jams with Jimi Hendrix in a session at Ronnie Scotts jazz club in London. By August 1970 their debut album “Eric Burdon Declares War” reaches #18 in the U.S. and the song “Spill the Wine” is their first hit as it reaches #3 and earns a gold record.
By Febuary of 1971 Eric Burdon drops out exhausted and moves back to California, but the band continues on to complete all contracted dates on it’s own.
By June 30,1971 ”WAR” plays the Hollywood Bowl at a “99 cent spectacular”, a low entry price showcase for all new acts that are under contract with the “United Artist” record label. The bands first solo gold record is “Slippin into Darkness”, and then their second album “The World Is A Ghetto” also goes gold. By 1973 the bands third consecutive million seller is “The Cisco Kid”, which only reaches #18 on the U.S. charts.
On a roll in the mid 70’s on August of 1975 the album “Why Can’t We Be Friends” hits #8 and is the bands fifth gold album. The song “Why Can’t We Be Friends” is beamed into space to U.S. and Russian astronauts during the summer of 1975 link-up in earths orbit.
Find out more on “WAR” as they are featured as artist of the month on KWMC’S, Little Red Rooster Show. And remember that all stories and known facts of artist of the month are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.

Being inducted as the first person of the first class of the Rock”n”Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Teaching himself to play piano and singing in church was the start for Jerry Lee Lewis. Some of his early influences were such radio shows as The Grand Ole Opry and the Louisiana Hayride, Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and Al Jolson were some of his favorite shows and artists. When he was 10, Lewis father mortgaged the family farm to buy Jerry his first piano. He eventually ended up in Memphis where he found work as a studio musician for Sun Studios. In 1957 he became a star with his unique piano-driven sound and also by this time he had developed some of his famous stage antics, such as playing standing up and even lighting up the occasional piano on fire. The story behind his nickname is told that because of his high energy and enthusiasm in his performances he earned the nickname”The Killer” for the way he knocked out his audiences, still this is not true. “Killer” comes from not remembering peoples names and he would always say to anyone “Hey Killer” and not the story before. One major success of Jerry Lee’s concerts was an album entitled “Live at the Star Club in Hamburg”, in 1964 an album that was recorded with the Nashville Teens. It is considered one of the greatest live Rock”N”Roll albums ever. In a review the album got 5 out of 5 stars, but still in the U.S. because of legal constraints, the album was never released.
Still things of more interest because Wikipedia doesn’t have the information, the song Breathless was sinking fast and Dick Clark made the following offer in his show; A free copy of the Breathless 45 for five Beechnut gum wrappers and 50 cents shipping and handing, as a result “Breathless reached the top 10 and Beechnut gum outsold Wrigley Spearmint gum for only the third time in history. And as usual, since Wikipedia never has any interesting stories here’s one from the little Red Rooster. In 1949 Jerry Lee Lewis makes his first public performance at an auto show featuring the years new model Fords in Natchez, LA. he earns 9 dollars for his performance. Find out more on Jerry Lee Lewis on KWMC 1490 am and the little red rooster show. Special thanks to Wendy Johnson who is in charge of all information and known facts about the artist of the month, and Mr. Javier Martinez for all productions of artist of the month.

Singer, songwriter, record producer and reverend. Al Green is best known for a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970’s. He has been referred to as the last of the great soul singers. Al Green the sixth of ten children’s was actually kicked out of the family by his religious father when Al was caught listening to he music of Jackie Wilson and Elvis Presley.
Then he lived with a prostitute and indulged in recreational drugs. The most important music to him was that of Jackie Wilson and Elvis Presley. Seems like trouble always follows this man, in 1974 his girlfriend assaulted Green and then committed suicide, she became upset when Green wouldn’t marry her. A few days later Green was held hostage at gunpoint by his cousin who demanded he owed her money.
In 2013 Green’s sister Maxine was reported missing and her daughter Lasha still says that Al Green has not reached out to the family about his sister and as of November 2019 she is still missing. On a darker side of this talented man come the stories of abusing women and assault, cruelty and domestic violence. Although he denied any charges he finally admitted to all.
He has then agreed to pay $432,800 dollars in alimony and child support. Then Green’s former secretary filed a law suit for $25,000 dollars in a civil lawsuit against him in 974.She charged that Green beat her and shoved her through a glass door after a dispute about how much back pay she was entitled to for her duties.
In 1975 they settled $100,000 dollar lawsuit for assault and battery charges.In1977 Green and his former organ player were arrested for assault it seems Green owed the player money from previous gigs. And then in 1978 he was again charged with assault and battery for beating Lovie Smith unconscious with a tree limb.
Find out more on Al Green on the Little Red Rooster Show At KWMC 1490 AM the all Classic Hits Station. All know information and facts are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.

Considered the classiest of pop acts then and now, the Platters were the biggest selling vocal group of the era.They were the first African American group to hit #1 in the Rock’n’Roll era.
Their first top ten hit “Only You” was re-recorded in 1955, it also hit the pop charts and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks.Their next song was “The Great Pretender” with lyrics written in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, this song became the Platters first national #1 hit.
The “ Great Pretender” and also “Only You” were performed in the Platters first major motion picture, the movie “Rock around the Clock”. The Platters differed from most other groups of the era because their manager Buck Ram had the group incorporated in 1956, each member of the group received a 20% share in stock, full royalties and their social security was paid. The Platters were the first Rock’n’Roll group to have a top ten album in the U.S., they were also the only act to have three songs included in the “American Graffiti” soundtrack.
By 1959 the group started having problems with the public, when the four male members were arrested on drug and prostitution charges.Although no one was convicted, their professional reputation was seriously damaged and U S radio stations refused to play their songs and their records were taken of he playlists, this forced the Platters to rely more on European bookings. There have been more than 125 different Platter groups touring the country none of theses groups contain any original member of “the Platters”.
Find out more on “the Platters” on the Little Red Rooster Show and KWMC 1490 AM. All information and known facts are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.

Formed in 1955 they started off as the “Five Chimes”, changing their name to the “Matadors” two years later and then by 1958 they would settle on the name “Miracles”.
The Miracles were the first act to be signed by Motown Records and also the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy’s Motown Records back in 1959. The group eventually scored the labels first million-selling hit record in 1960 with the song “Shop Around” also remember this was a million seller and not a #1 according to Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. There it only reached at #2. They recorded 26 top 40 pop hits, 16 reaching the Billboard top 20, and 7 top 10 singles. In all, the group had over 50 charted hits by the time they disbanded.
The Miracles are ranked at #32 on the Rolling Stone Magazine list of the 100 greatest artists of all time and 4 of their song were inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame, the most by any Motown group and in 2009 received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, and after much controversy, the Miracles were finally inducted into the “Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame. Ironically both Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers (another Miracles member) were born in the same hospital on the same month and date and year (Febuary 18,1940) but they would not meet each other until they were fifteen years old. Failing an audition at Brunswick Records, Berry Gordy got the group to release a record with the “End” label, and the group was not satisfied with effort made to release the song as they would end up earning only $3.19.
By then it was Smokey Robinson who suggested Berry Gordy label. On December 27,1960 the Miracles became the first Motown group to appear on “American Bandstand”, during the Miracles heyday the group began grossing $150,000.00 a year and were making between $100,000 and $250,000 for nightly shows. One interesting fact about the group is when they were know as the Matadors,each member was paid Five dollars per week by their agent Berry Gordy through out the 1960’s. The Miracles released 19 albums for Motown.
Find out more on the Miracles as they are featured as artist of the month on the Little Red Rooster Show and KWMC the all classic hits station 1490AM. And still after many years all known facts and interesting information are by Wendy Johnson and still all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.

Mostly popular in the early to - mid 60’s,they were the first successful act of Motown Records after the Miracles and it’s first significantly successful girl group after the release of their 1961 single, one of the first #1 singles recorded by an all female vocal group and the first by a Motown recording act.
In the early years of Motown everybody that worked there would help one another in every which way they could, whether it was Smokey Robinson writing songs for some of the artists or Marvin Gaye playing drums and even Berry Gordy himself playing piano and also the countless times the girls would do back ground vocals, from the Supremes to the Marvelettes.
The Marvelettes were over shadowed by the Supremes, more attention was paid to the Supremes than the Marvelettes as Berry Gordy was already having an affair with Diana Ross, so the Marvelettes were put on hold and very little was done to promote them. But still they came up with some great songs, like Please Mr. Postman, Playboy, Twistin Postman, and Beechwood 4-5789 a song that was co-written by Marvin Gaye.
You never really know if and when you’re gonna have a hit record, it’s all chance and promotion, and sometimes artists pass on a song and then some one else has a hit with it. In this case the Marvelettes passed on the song “Where did our love go” and gave it to the Supremes. But then if you go the web-site “Artist Facts” it says that the Marvelettes passed up on the song “Baby Love” not “Where did our love go”, so who knows. The Marvelettes best hit is of course “Mr. Postman” but did you know that it was actually co-written by a real postman who helped complete the lyrics, his name was Freddie Gorman, he also sang with the Motown group called the “Originals”, he passed away in 2006.
Find out more about the Marvelettes as they are featured as Artist Of The Month on the Little Red Rooster Show and KWMC 1490 AM. Still all information and known facts on all artist of the month are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.

For a band that has sold millions of records and holds the record for various platinum, gold, and diamond status titles, there is really not much interesting information of interest to give out on the Eagles.
Shortly after 1972 Eagles are assigned to Asylum Records and travel to the U.K. to record their first album. Thier first song “Take it easy” is their debut song reaching U.S. #12 ,a song written by Glenn Frey and friend Jackson Browne.  Remember also that Frey has said many times that the name of the group is EAGLES and not THE EAGLES.
On November 24,1972 they appear as a part of the superstar billed K-ROQ “Woodstock of the West” festival. Only 32 thousand people show up. By June of 1973 the song “Desperado” makes it to #41, the song was never released as a single. There were plans to make a movie from that album but plans fell through. On April 6,1974 Eagles play the “California Jam” rock festival to an audience of 200,000, and by 1975 the ballad “The Best Of My Love” is their first million selling single. 
By 1976 they win the “Best Pop Vocal Performance” for the song “Lyin Eyes” at the 18th Annual Grammy Awards. And by 1976 their “Greatest Hits 1971-1975” tops the U.S. charts for 5 weeks and is certified platinum. On March 20th 1980, 28 year old Joseph Riviera holds up Asylum Records office in New York demanding to see either Jackson Brown or The Eagles wanting them to finance his trucking operation, he surrenders when he is told that neither artist are there in New York, they live in California.
Find out more on the Eagles as featured artist of the month on the “Little Red Rooster Show” on KWMC 1490 AM Classic Hits Station.And remember that all stories and facts of artist of the month are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.

The duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield who would later be known as The Righteous Brothers would be I other bands before getting together. They really weren’t great but they were good.
They began in 1962 in Los Angeles as a part of a five member group called the Paramours, but adopted the name Righteous brothers when they embarked on their recording career as a duo. This is why you should stay away from certain sources for accurate information. First the name came about when they were performing for black marines from the El Toro marine base who were already calling them Righteous Brothers, during one of their performances a marine in the audience stood up and shouted “that was righteous, brothers!” and the name stuck.
In August and September of 1964, they opened for the Beatles in their first U.S. tour, however they left before the tour finished. Unappreciated in the east coast who demanded to hear the Beatles the Righteous Brothers got upset and quit the tour. Still in 1964 Phil Spector came across the Righteous Brothers while performing at the Cow Palace, Spector was impressed and signed them to his label, understand that at that time Spector recorded only black artists and the Righteous Brothers would be the first white act to record for Spectors own Phillies label.
You’ve lost that loving feeling was released in 1964 and became Spectors first major hit single and reached no.1 in 1965. This song is often cited as Spectors finest expression of his “Wall of Sound” technique. You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling has become the most played song in American radio and television in the 20th century, with more than 8 million airplays at the end of 1999.
Also remember that the song That Lovin Feeling was featured on Britains TV show “jukebox jury” the four panelists  thinking it was being played at the wrong speed, voted it a miss.In December of 1965 MGM records offered to buy out the Righteous Brothers contract for one million dollars and Phil Spector sells them.
Learn more about the Righteous Brothers as they are featured as Artist Of The Month on the Little Red Rooster Show on KWMC 1490 AM the Classic Hits Station. And as usual all known facts and stories are by Wendy Johnson and all shows are produced by Javier Martinez.