music – Page 2 – Gary Bennett Publishing

Neil Berg and his merry band of performers revive the psychedelic ’60s for a night

By Gary Bennett

This article appears in the April 20, 2023, edition of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” magazine.

Relive the powerhouse music that shaped a generation with Neil Berg’s The 60’s: Peace, Love & Rock N’ Roll, rolling into Frederick’s Weinberg Center on April 21 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are still available.

Composer/producer/arranger/musician Neil Berg returns to Frederick with his new production that takes us on a musical trip to the stormy, counterculture 60’s. Berg and his talented troupe of musicians last wowed Frederick audiences in October 2021 with his show 50 Years of Rock N’ Roll.

In this new production, Berg recounts the 60’s through music and stories, culminating with a celebration of the historic Woodstock concert in 1969. If you didn’t make it to Woodstock like me (I was only 12) but remember all the wonderful music wafting down the hall from your big sister’s jukebox, you’ll not want to miss this rollicking evening.

Berg is privy to many behind-the-scenes stories from Woodstock due to his personal friendship with Michael Lang, the original organizer and producer of the iconic event.

“Michael brought me into his New York City office about 15 years ago to discuss the possibility of writing a Broadway musical about Woodstock—stories about unknown artists like Bert Sommer, who was in the Broadway musical Hair, and who was a solo artist at Woodstock and got the first standing ovation.”

That idea morphed into The 60’s: Peace, Love & Rock N’ Roll when Berg realized there are many more stories to tell and music to play that had nothing to do with Woodstock. Berg is not shy about sharing these tales.

Berg promises we’ll hear the story of Joni Mitchell’s song Woodstock, and her relationship to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, who were famously playing only their second concert ever in public. We’ll learn about the famous bands that were invited to play, but did not. We’ll hear about Carlos Santana playing his entire Woodstock set tripping on LSD given to him by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.

And don’t forget the music! Berg and his merry band of Broadway performers will cover the music of Woodstock acts Richie Havens, Country Joe McDonald, The Band, Canned Heat, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Joe Cocker. (Lineup is subject to change.)

A who’s who of 60’s rockers who did not perform at Woodstock will be covered too: Bob Dylan, Four Seasons, Beach Boys, Beatles, Rolling Stones, James Brown, Tom Jones, Aretha Franklin, Monkees, Neil Diamond, Cream, Mamas and the Papas, Otis Redding, Doors, Shirelles, Tina Turner, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Led Zeppelin and more.

For everyone who wanted to be at Woodstock but wasn’t, The 60’s: Peace, Love and Rock N’ Roll will make you feel like you are there.

Legendary band Three Dog Night at the Weinberg Center

By Gary Bennett

This article appears in the Frederick News Post’s “72 Hours” magazine, April 13, 2023.

Frederick welcomes another icon of ‘70s classic rock to the Weinberg Center when Three Dog Night visits on Sunday, April 16 at 6 pm. Along with recent visits from Gordon Lightfoot, The Temptations, Spinners and America, an evening of music from Three Dog Night promises to take we aging baby boomers back to our teens and 20s. Tickets are still available at https://weinbergcenter.org/.

Thinking back to the ‘70s, it seems that Three Dog Night was always on the radio. Their music didn’t have the hard-diving focus of other ‘70s rock bands like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath or even Kiss. And they sure didn’t have the thoughtful lyrics and musicality of The Eagles, The Who, Chicago or Queen. They fit somewhere in the pleasant middle with other pop-oriented bands like The Guess Who and Doobie Brothers.

They were certainly commercially successful. From 1969 to 1974 they racked up 21 Billboard top 40 hits including three number ones. No other group was as successful during that span. If you came of age in the ‘70s and listened to the radio at all, chances are very good you will recognize most of Three Dog Night’s hits. Among the favorites sure to be played on April 16 are the three number ones: Mama Told Me Not to Come (#1 in 1970), Joy to the World (#1 in 1971) and Black and White (#1 in 1972).

Mama Told Me Not to Come tells the funny story of the strangest party “there could ever be.” Joy to the World is a simple song espousing the pure joy of being alive. It is known for its strange opening line “Jeremiah was a bullfrog.” Black and White is a socially-responsible song celebrating the end of racial segregation in schools.

Other top hits include my personal favorite Shambala (#3 in 1973), which uses a solid groove to tell the story of a mystical place where love and kindness abound, The Show Must Go On (#3 in 1974), An Old Fashioned Love Song (#4 in 1971), Easy to be Hard (#4 in 1969), One (#5 in 1969), Never Been to Spain (#5 in 1971), Liar (#7 in 1971) and Eli’s Coming (#10 in 1969).

One of the main appeals of Three Dog Night is that each of their songs sound so different. This is because, like the Beatles before them, they decided to feature all three lead singers pretty much equally among their songs. Lead singers Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells (also the founders of Three Dog Night) had three very different voices and singing styles. Today, only Hutton remains. In 1985, Negron suffered a relapse into drug addiction and was fired from the group. Wells died in 2015 at age 74.

Unlike most of the rock bands of the ‘70s, Three Dog Night did not write their own songs. They left that work to others. This was not unusual in the music business prior to the arrival of the Beatles in the ‘60s. Instead, Three Dog Night became masters at picking out songs that were right for them and commercially appealing. They were responsible for introducing the world to many up and coming songwriters that are well known today: Randy Newman (Mama Told Me Not to Come), Paul Williams (An Old Fashioned Love Song), and Hoyt Axton (Joy to the World, Never Been to Spain).

There has always been some controversy on what Three Dog Night’s name actually means. Some believe Danny Hutton’s girlfriend suggested the name after reading about aboriginal Australians who on particularly cold nights slept with three dogs to keep warm instead of one or two. An arranger at Warner Brothers disputes this and says he came up with the name. Either way, the phrase has become part of the American lexicon to describe an especially cold night.

Hopefully, Danny Hutton will clear this up once and for all when he visits Frederick on April 6.

Classic Loves Songs for Your Valentine’s Day Enjoyment

By Gary Bennett

The Righteous Brothers — Bill Medley and the late Bobby Hatfield

This article appears in the February 8, 2024, issue of Frederick News-Post’s “72 Hours” entertainment insert.

Valentine’s Day is here! It’s time to plug in that perfect playlist for the evening’s activities. No, no, not necessarily those activities.

But, it is nice to have the right background music when presenting your loved one with flowers, those delicious red and pink M&Ms artfully placed in a pretty candy bowl, and that little heart necklace you picked up at Kay Jewelers.

Recording artists of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ’80 provided the soundtrack of my youth so I always look to them to help with completing my playlists. Whether it’s love songs, Christmas songs or rainy-day songs, I can always count on the sensitive singer-songwriters and soft rocks bands of these earlier, gentler times to provide the ambiance I need.

So, here are my top ten classic love songs guaranteed to set the Valentine Day’s mood. Did I miss any of your favorites?

You still have time to surreptitiously create your own playlist and magically call it up on your smart speaker on Valentine’s Day. If you do, you will own the day and your loved one will never look at you the same way again. (I mean that in a good way.)

10. Glen Campbell: “Grow Old with Me”
John Lennon wrote it but never got a chance to record it. Glen’s beautiful voice does justice to this simple, heartfelt tune. “Grow old along with me, whatever fate decrees, we will see it through, for our love is true.”

9. Dan Fogelberg: “Longer”
A frequent wedding song that sweetly proclaims that love will last forever. “Longer than there’ve been stars up in the heavens, I’ve been in love with you.”

8. Al Green: “Let’s Stay Together”
This soulful balladeer promises he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his baby. “Let me say that since, baby, since we’ve been together, ooh, loving you forever, is what I need, let me, be the one you come running to, I’ll never be untrue.”

7. Willie Nelson: “Always on My Mind”
The grizzled, veteran singer struck gold with this sorrowful, love mea culpa. “Little things I should have said and done, I just never took the time, but you were always on my mind, you were always on my mind.”

6. Gordon Lightfoot: “Beautiful”
The spare arrangement and simple words offer the profound emotion of love realized. “And when you hold me tight, how could life be anything but beautiful, I think that I was made for you, and you were made for me.”

5. Beatles: “Something”
This timeless classic written by quiet Beatle George Harrison tells about the little things that makes love so special. “Somewhere in her smile she knows, that I don’t need no other lover, something in her style that shows me.”

4. Etta James: “At Last”
This quintessential wedding song from the ‘40s proclaims love has finally arrived. It was made famous by Etta in 1961. “At last, my love has come along, my lonely days are over, and life is like a song”

3. Kenny Rogers: “Through the Years”
The perfect song for a grateful man in a long-term relationship who can’t believe it has been so good. “Through the years, you’ve never let me down, you’ve turned my life around, the sweetest days I’ve found, I’ve found with you.”

2. Foreigner: “I Want to Know What Love Is”
A haunting melody that shows how to look for love after it’s been lost. “I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me, I wanna feel what love is, I know you can show me.”

1. The Righteous Brothers: “Unchained Melody”
This strangely titled but deeply emotional song perfectly captures the intense longing for an unwavering love. You’ll be amazed at their range in octaves. “Woah, my love, my darling, I’ve hungered for your touch, Are you still mine?”

Honorable mentions: The Association’s “Cherish,” Bee Gee’s “Run to Me,” Chicago’s “Just You ‘n’ Me,” Climax’s “Precious and Few,” Climax Blues Band’s “I Love You,” Jim Croce’s “I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song,” Eagles’ “Best of My Love,” John Lennon’s “Woman,” Barry Manilow’s “Somewhere in the Night,” Paul McCartney’s “No More Lonely Nights,” Orleans’ “Love Takes Time” and Turtles’ “Happy Together.”

10 rockin’ hits for your Christmas playlist

John Lennon penned one of the best original Christmas songs of the last 50 years – Happy Xmas (War is Over)

By Gary Bennett

This article appeared in the December 20, 2022, issue of 72 Hours in the Frederick News Post

Not everyone loves Christmas songs, but you can put me in a special category. I love Christmas songs from classic rockers.

It couldn’t have been easy for them. I’m sure some producer or agent along the way told them they needed to do a Christmas album or at least record a few Christmas songs. It would have been easy to record a few of the old standards, and many of them did just that. But, to write and record an original track and have it turn into a standard, well, that is saying something.

Here are my top 10 original Christmas songs from classic rockers, or at least covers that have become indelibly associated with the artist. Build this playlist into your smart speaker and, if you’re about my age, you’ll be instantly transported back to your teen years when Christmas was carefree.

How’d I do? Did I miss any of your favorites?

10. Jim Croce – It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way
What can I say, I’m a big fan and this is my list. But wait. Give it a chance. Listen to the unmistakably smooth voice and heartfelt sentiment.
9. Paul McCartney – Wonderful Christmas Time
This one’s a bit syrupy, but come on, it’s Paul McCartney! He can do what he wants.
8. Paul Young – What Christmas Means to Me
Paul is an obscure ’70s/’80s top 40 artist who somehow struck gold with this one.
7. Kenny Loggins – Celebrate Me Home
This obscure song is hauntingly beautiful. Just listen.
6. Carpenters – Merry Christmas, Darling
Ok, they’re not rockers but the angelic voice of Karen Carpenter offers up a true standard of aching loneliness and missing your loved one at Christmas.
5. Bryan Adams – Christmas Time
I love this Canadian rocker’s voice and sentiment. Super nostalgic. Always takes me back.
4. Beach Boys – Little Saint Nick
They make it seem so easy. These Hall of Famers offer their 60’s hit Little Deuce Coup with snow a-flying instead of rubber!
3. Stevie Wonder – Some Day at Christmas
A pointed, political statement from someone who really cares.
2. Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas
It wouldn’t be Christmas without this bluesy and melancholy cover.
1. John Lennon and Yoko Ono– Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
A political statement mixed with an unforgettable melody and simple words. A true masterpiece from an all-time great.

Honorable mention: Alabama’s Christmas in Dixie, John Denver’s Noel: Christmas Eve 1913, Dan Fogelberg’s Same Old Lang Syne, Bruce Springsteen’s Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Elton John’s Step Into Christmas