Saturday, January 26, 2013

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC "OFFICIAL SITE" CHAPTER 70 - ROCK & ROLL MOVIES HIT CNY THEATERS (Movies, Date, Stars)

Apr 30, 1955        Blackboard Jungle                                         Loews State
                             (Rock Around The Clock- Bill Haley)

May 9, 1956         Rock Around The Clock                               Loews Strand
                             Bill Haley & The Comets
                             Alan Freed
                             The Platters
                             Freddie Bell & The Bell Boys
                            Tony Martinez & Band

Nov 20, 1956       Love Me Tender                                           Paramount
                             Elvis Presley

Dec 9, 1956         Shake Rattle & Rock                                    RKO Keiths
                             Fat Domino

Dec 23, 1956       Rock, Rock, Rock                                        Loews Strand
                            Alan Freed & Orchestra
                            Frankie Lymon & Teenagers
                            LaVern Baker, Chuck Berry,
                            Jimmy Cavallo & House Rockers (Syracuse's own)
                            Moonglows, Flamingos,
                            Johnny Burnette Trio, Cirino & Bowties
                            Three Chuckles (Teddy Randazzo), others

Dec 23, 1956      The Girl Can't Help It                                    Paramount
                            Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent
                            Julie London, The Platters,
                            Fats Domino, Little Richard,
                            Ray Anthony, The Treniers
                            Eddie Fontaine, Nino Tempo,
                            Johnny Olenn, Abby Lincoln, others


May 23, 1957       Untamed Youth                                           RKO Keiths
                             Eddie Cochran

July 9, 1957         Loving You                                                  Loews State
                             Elvis Presley
                             Bill Black

Oct 30, 1957        Mr. Rock & Roll                                          RKO Keiths
                             Alan Freed
                             Frankie Lyman & The Teenagers
                             Little Richard, LaVern Baker,
                             Lionel Hampton, Clyde McPhatter
                             Brook Benton, Teddy Randazzo,
                             Ferlin Husky, Shaye Cogan

Nov 13, 1957        Jailhouse Rock                                           Loews State
                              Elvis Presley        

Feb 19, 1958         Jamboree                                                    Loews State
                              Fats Domino, Buddy Knox,
                              Jerry Lee Lewis, Jimmy Bowen
                              Rhythm Orchids & Others....

June 13, 1958        High School Confidential
                              Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Anthony
                              Michael Landon

July 2, 1858           King Creole                                              Loews State
                              Elvis Presley

July 2, 1959           Go Johnny Go                                           Loews State
                              Alan Freed
                              Ritchie Valens, Chuck Berry,
                              Eddie Cochran, Jimmy Clanton
                              Jackie Wilson, Jo Ann Campbell.
                              Harvey of The Moonglows. Cadillacs,
                              Sandy Stewart, The Flamingo            

Nov 30, 1960        G.I. Blues                                                   RKO Keiths
                              Elvis Presley

June 27, 1961        Wild in The Country                                RKO Keiths
                              Elvis Presley

Nov 22, 1961        Blue Hawaii                                                RKO Keiths

                              Elvis Presley

Dec 31, 1961        Hey Let's Twist                                         RKO Keiths
                             Joey Dee & The Starliters
                             Jo Ann Campbell
                             Teddy Randazzo

Feb 13, 1962         Twist Around the Clock                           RKO  Keiths
                              Chubby Checker, The Marcels.
                              Dion, Vicki Spencer
                              Teddy Randazzo, Clay Cole



June 4, 1962          Don't Knock the Twist                              Loews State
                              Chubby Checker, Gene Chandler,
                              Vic Dana, Dovells, Len Barry etc

Nov 21, 1962        Girls, Girls, Girls                                         RKO Keiths
                              Elvis Presley

Apr 11, 1963         It Happened At The Worlds Fair             Loews State
                              Elvis Presley

May 20, 1964        Viva Las Vegas                                         RKO Keiths
                              Elvis Presley
                              Ann Margret

Aug 12, 1964         A Hard Day's Night                                  North Drive-In
                              The Beatles
                              (Performing live- Sam and the Twisters)

Aug 26, 1964         A Hard Day's Night                                  State Theater- Cortland
                              The Beatles

Dec 29, 1964         T.A.M.I. Show
                               Rolling Stones, James Brown,
                               Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye
                               Barbarians, Lesley Gore, Jan & Dean
                               Billy J. Kramer & Dakotas, Supremes
                               Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
                               Gerry & The Pacemakers
                               Wrecking Crew- Leon Russell, Glen Campbell
                               Phil Spector

Aug 18, 1965         Having a Wild Weekend                           RKO Keiths
                               Dave Clark Five

Aug 18, 1965         Monkey's Uncle
                               Beach Boys
                               Annette & Frankie Avalon

Aug 18, 1965         Help                                                           State Theater- Cortland
                              The Beatles

Sept 1, 1965          Help                                                         Paramount &
                              The Beatles                                               North Drive-In

Dec 15, 1965         Harum Scarum                                       Liverpool Driv-In                                       
                               Elvis Presley

Jan, 1966                Big TNT Show
                               Ray Charles, Petula Clark,
                               Lovin Spoonful, Bo Diddley
                               Joan Baez, Ronnettes, Byrds,
                               Donovan, Roger Miller,
                               Ike & Tina Turner
                               Modern Jazz Quartet
                               Phil Spector

May 2, 1966          Hold On                                                   Salina Drive-In
                              Herman's Hermits

Nov 9, 1966          Spinout                                                     Paramount
                              Elvis Presley

Dec 20, 1968         Yellow Submarine                                    Loews State
                              The Beatles

March, 1970          Woodstock                                              Cinema North
                              Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin,                          Genesee
                              The Who, Joe Cocker,
                              Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joan Baez,
                              Sly & The Family Stone,
                              Canned Heat, Arlo Guthrie, Santana,
                              John Sebastian, Sha-Na-Na,
                              Country Joe (McDoanld) & The Fish
                              Richie Havens, Jefferson Airplane.
                                                                     
                         
May, 1970             Let It Be                                                   Cinema North
                              The Beatles                                            

1972                      Concert for Bangla Desh                         Cinema North
                              George Harrison, Eric Clapton,
                              Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan.
                              Leon Russell, Jessie Ed Davis,
                              Ravi Shankar, Klaus Voorman,
                              Jim Horn, Billy Preston, Badfinger
                              Jim Keltner, Carl Radle, Alla Rakah,
                             Phil Spector, Don Preston, others

1973                      Let The Good Times Roll                        Liverpool Drive-In
                              Richard Nader, Chuck Berry,
                               Bill Haley & The Comets, Five Satins
                               Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Shirelles,
                               Danny & The Juniors, The Coasters,
                               Little Richard,  Chgubby Checker
                               Bobby Comstock Band

March, 1978          American Hot Wax                                Cinema North
                              Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis,
                              Frankie Ford, Kenny Vance,
                              Jeff Altman, Jay Leno

March 19, 1975     Tommy                                 
                              The Who, Elton John,
                               Eric Clapton, Anna Margret,
                              Tina Turner, Keith Moon

July 21, 1978         Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band    Cinema East
                              Peter Frampton, Bee Gees, Aerosmith
                              Steve Martin, Earth Wind & Fire
                              Billy Preston, Alice Cooper


Nov, 1978             The Buddy Holly Story                          Shop City Cinema
                              Gary Busey

Aug 8, 1980           Xanadu                                                   Cinema East
                               Olivia Newton John
                               Electric Light Orchestra (Jeff Lynne)

June 1982              The Wall                                                 Cinema East
                              Pink Floyd

July 24, 1987         LaBamba                                               Shop City Cinema
                              Los Lobos
                              Lou Diamond Phillips
                              Brian Setzer
                              Howard Huntsberry

Oct 9, 1987           Hail, Hail, Rock & Roll
                              Chuck Berry
                              Eric Clapton, Robert Cray,
                              Etta James. Julian Lennon,
                              Keith Richard, Linda Ronstadt,
                              Joe Walsh, Bobby Keys
                              Interviews w/- Bo Diddley, Roy Orbison,
                              Everly Bros, Bruce Springsteen


2003                      Concert For George (Harrison)
                              Eric Clapton, Jeff Lynne, Ringo Starr,
                              Paul McCartney, Joe Brown,  Ravi Shankar,
                              Jools Holland, Sam Brown, Billy Preston,
                              Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers,
                              Dhani Harrison, Jim Keltner, Gary Booker,
                              Jim Capaldi, Ray Cooper, Jim Horn,
                              Albert Lee, Klaus Voorman, Tom Scott,
                              Andy Fairweather, Marc Mann, Tom Hanks,
                              Monty Python,  Anoushka Shankar,
                              Henry Spinetti,  Dave Bronze & others



MANY MORE TO LIST - TO BE CONTINUED













Tuesday, January 22, 2013

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC "OFFICIAL SITE" CHAPTER 68 - SYRACUSE AREA MUSIC AWARDS (SAMMYS) HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES, MUSIC EDUCATORS & LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS (Updated 1993- present)


Class 1 - May  5, 1993

Jimmy Cavallo
Stan Colella
Benny Mardones
Tony Trischka
Spiegle Wilcox

"Dandy" Dan Leonard - Lifetime Achievement Award
Dick Clark - Lifetime Achievement Award


Class 2 - April  22, 1994

Jack Belle
Felix Cavaliere
Dave Frisina
Bob McIntyre
Ron Wray

Sam and the Twisters - (Band)

Jim Deline Orchestra w/ Bigtree Sisters -Lifetime Achievement Award


Class 3 - April 1996

Libba Cotton
Mark Doyle
"Big Mike" Fiss
Todd Hobin
Frank Malfitano
Bea Soloman
Joe Whiting

The Monterays  (Band)

Larry Arlotta - Lifetime Achievement Award
Rose & Murray Bernthal - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 4 - November 21, 1997

Calvin Custer
Jim O'Brien
Dave Pasternack
Joe Rest
Jim Sims

Father Charles Borgognoni - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 5 - April 23, 1999

Butch Charles
Rick Chisholm
Mark Gummer
Walt Maddox
David Rezak

C.R.A.C. - (Band)

Sal Nistico - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 6 -  February 1, 2002

Hal Casey Sr.
Chuck Chao
Phil Klein

Bill Davern - Lifetime Achievement Award

WIXT TV-9 (now WSYR TV-9) Founders Award

Class 7  - June 4, 2004

Joe Carfagno
Ronnie Leigh
Tom Mosher
Syracuse New Times

Mario DeSantis - Lifetime Achievement Award


Class 8  - June 3, 2005

Maria DeSantis
Bobby Green
Dave Hanlon
Greg Spencer

Pat & Joe Lotito - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 9 - June 2, 2006

Cua Family (Buzz, Rick, Nick Crab)
Gary Frenay
Nancy Kelly
Bill Knowlton
Arty Lenin

The Kingsnakes (Band)

Phil Market - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 10 - June 1, 2007

Michael C. Davis
Isreal Hagan
Bob Halligan Jr.
Ed Hamell
Joanne Shenandoah

Dick Ford - Music Educator Award

NYS Senator - John DeFrancisco - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 11 - June 6, 2008

Sandy Bigtree
Roosevelt Dean
Mark Hoffmann
Larry Luttinger
Dave Novak

Gary Santy - Music Educator Award

Armand Magnarelli - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 12 - June 5, 2009

Donna Colton
Dean Brothers Band
Mike Greenstein
Otis Smith

Carol Pardee - Music Educator Award

Leo Rayhill - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 13 - October 8, 2010

Fritz Polka Band
Galaxy Communications
Greg Italiano
Jeff Tortora

Steve Frank- Music Educator Award

Duane Hitchings - Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 14 - Nov 10, 2011

David "Rock" Feinstein
Rick Gary
Marsha Hagan
805 / Dave Porter - (Band)

Joe Riposo - Music Educator

Syracuse Symphony Orchestra- Lifetime Achievement Award

Class 15 - March 7, 2013

John Dancks
Willie "Tatters" Mavins
Skip Murphy / Out of the Blue
The Seven  (Band)
Scott Sterling

James Spadafore - Music Educator

Jimmy Van Heusen - Lifetime Achievement Award







Thursday, January 10, 2013

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC "OFFICIAL SITE" CHAPTER 67 - DAVID "ROCK" FEINSTEIN' INDUCTED INTO SYRACUSE AREA MUSIC AWARDS HALL OF FAME (INDUCTION SPEECH- NOV 14, 2011)

Syracuse Area Music Awards (SAMMY's) David "Rock" Feinstein's Hall of Fame Induction speech given by Syracuse Music Historian Ron Wray - Nov 14, 2011 at the Dinosaur Bar B Que.


I've been involved documenting our Syracuse Music History over 48 years. Inducting "Rock" Feinstein into the SAMMY's Hall of Fame tonight is one of my greatest honors.

"Rock" is not only a great guitarist, a great entertainer who's played the greatest stages in the World, but his greatest gift is he is one of the great human beings on this planet. As for being my friend, all these years what more could I ask for.

I was introduced to "Rock" by the legendary Ronnie James Dio while they were members of the band ELF. Rick Gary (another inductee that evening) & I were from WOLF Radio and at the time we had concerts every week. Well we had the Deep Purple - ELF Concert at the War Memorial and Ronnie spoke to me prior about the ELF band, his great guitarist and new EPIC (Columbia) album they had just recorded. He said that they were going to play the album tonight. Now I've seen all the biggest bands in the world. I don't normally say this but ELF just blew me away. Ronnie's great singing and Rock's guitar along with Mickey Lee Soule and Gary Driscoll was one of the greatest bands I have ever seen.

I went back and spoke to WOLF Radio Program Director Howie Castle about seeing ELF with Ronnie & Rock and how they blew us away. We then call another SAMMY's Hall of Famer, concert promoter Jack Belle. Jack went on to promote Bruce Springsteen, Santana and many others. We met and the question was asked, what are we going to do to help this band. Jack had an idea, he booked them to appear in his upcoming concerts with Fleetwood Mac, Spooky Tooth and later J. Geils.

One day watching ELF from backstage at the Landmark Theater, Jack (Belle) & I heard Dio belting our his great vocals and watched "Rock" wailing away. He played the guitar with his teeth, behind his head, behind his back and everywhere else you can play a guitar. Jack said to me, Ron who plays the guitar like that ???? No one I know on this planet and he's one of those special guitarists and he's from our home area- Syracuse.

Ronnie James Dio as you know went on to join Rainbow, Black Sabbath and formed DIO. What you probably don't know is that I asked "Rock" (Feinstein) to come to Syracuse to record some material at Dayson Studio as we were recording a Buddy Holly tribute EP. All proceeds going to the Buddy Holly Memorial Society that sold in 17 different countries.

One thing I'll say, in the studio his Marshalls (amps) shook the studio walls, rattled windows and changed the foundation of the building. But he always gave us the sound we wanted. He is one of those special great guitarists.

In a funny moment...A lot of you probably remember the club "The Scene" in Dewitt...Well he blew off every ceiling tile.

In 1979, "Rock" formed The Rods with drummer Carl Canedy & bassist Garry Bordinaro. This resulted in 9 Worldwide albums, picture discs, Cd's, DVDs and cassettes along with playing rock festivals attended by over 50,000 fans.

He signed nationally with Ronnie & Wendy Dio's label Niji Entertainment as did The Rods sign with Niji. By the way Niji released ten days ago a new Ronnie James Dio and "Rock" Feinstein Cd called "And Before Elf there were Elves."  That should be in stores as we speak.

In support of the two Cd's in the last 12 months they toured Europe & UK with Dio Disciples a band of musicians that played with Ronnie the last few years. The tour just ended in June.

He's truly a Central New York music treasurer; it is my honor to welcome into the SAMMYS Hall of Fame... David "Rock" Feinstein....

Submitted by Ron Wray...  November 14, 2011

Sunday, January 6, 2013

HISTORY OF SYRACUSE MUSIC "OFFICIAL SITE" CHAPTER 66 - SAD TO REPORT THE PASSING OF JEAN GERBER

We are deeply saddened to report the death of our longtime friend Jean Gerber on Friday January 4 at age 89. Jean, her husband William and son Bill Gerber own and operated the legendary Gerber Music Stores located in Fairmount Fair Shopping Center, Shoppingtown Mall, Northern Lights Shopping Center and Penn Can Mall. She was a lovely lady and will be dearly miss by many of us in Central New York...