Roburt

Seems the show is still selling out every night and though the critics mauled it, the audience (in the whole) are loving it. It's reported that the show's gross take each week is just under $1.5 million and its this years biggest hit on Broadway. Tickets (via lastminute.com) are just over £80 each (including all fees)

It would really be good if some of those 'Allen Ludden's Gallery' TV shows have survived. Here's info on a few 'soul people' that he had on to chat & perform over a period of just one month ............. September 12th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Angeline Butler September 11th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Lenny Welch September 5th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Nancy Ames September 4th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Thelma Houston August 28th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden guests include singer Johnny Mathis & the Danny Cox Trio August 25th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer-actress Sharon Cash with the Back Porch Majority. August 21th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Gerri Granger August 20th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Angeline Butler August 19th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Gerri Granger August 15th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Joe Williams August 14th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include singer Jackie DeShannon August 13th 1969 Hosted by Allen Ludden, guests include actor / singer Della Reese ....... H B Barnum & Band backed all the singers who appeared on the shows

Obviously this came out on 'Little Michaels' own vanity label, he may even have bought the studio time himself to cut the tracks. It says it's a release out of Houston on the net and the title of tuva side would make it a summer to late 1970 period release. What are the writers names on the two songs as 'Little Michael' was probably involved.

One of her soul goodies ............... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8XGsshGuQs

SHOULD HAVE POSTED THIS THREAD IN 'All About The Soul' SECTION. SHOULD BE MOVED !!

Gerri on a German TV show (the song choice is dire though) ............ ... the first few seconds of this feature Allen Ludden talking ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isU0F_BGRQM

Another clip of her doing 'cabaret material' ........... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s460zBYwtmo She appeared on 'Alan Ludden's Gallery' TV show and the backing band on that series was the H. B. Barnum Band ........... .... https://www.tv.com/shows/allen-luddens-gallery/august-21-1969-1381971/ I guess her appearances on there would be the best chance to catch her singing more 'soul-styled' numbers. Do any clips of the Gerri (or the other soul stars) who appeared on the show still exist ??

Back on a US TV show (Tonight Show with Johnny Carson + Allen Ludden) ............ ..do any clips survive of her singing one of her own good soul tracks ?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX6WObx8zIU

Gerri on a Canadian show .............. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JFyPhktrZM

Gerri on the Johnny Carson Show .............. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ya6_1QlBAs

Another old TV clip of Gerri & Sammy Davis ("I discovered her...ere .. which isn't true") .... Sammy took her on tour as part of his live review show for over 18 months .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGO4BYlQe0A

Starting out at age 14 in Newark, NJ, Gerri Granger got an unlikely chance to sing at Teddy Powell’s Lounge on an amateur night. She won that night, but being a singer was not first and foremost for her. After graduating from Weequarhic Hugh School in Irvington, New Jersey, Gerri received an Art Scholarship to study Industrial Design and this led her to study at New York University. Her first record deal was with Big Top who put out "Castles In The Sky" in the summer of 1962. Her last outing on Big Top was in February 1962, this being the 'Giant / Baum / Kaye' song "Breakdown". Meanwhile she had begun to perform locally with Lloyd Price’s Big Band and then did a stint on the circuit in the Catskills of New York State as a singer and dancer. She had 45's released on Lloyd Price’s Double L label out of New York City ("You Must Be Doing Something Right" & “The Show Stopper”: 1965/66). Her talent caught the eye of the William Morris Agency, who would help launch her TV career. She would meet her mentor in entertainment, Sammy Davis Jr. during those times and went on to have a great career working with him lots of the time (she was a regular on his TV shows). The majority of the time she mainly focused on television work. Her TV credits include appearing on Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, David Frost, Dick Cavett, Allen Ludden, Steve Allen. Joey Bishop, Virginia Graham and Jonathan Winters. She was a regular on a weekly variety series “What’s It All About World” with Dean Jones, plus a TV Variety Special “The Singers” with Mel Torme and Jack Jones. She was with Bell Records in 1971 and had a New York cut album released by United Artists ('Add a Little Love') in 1972 which included the track "Til I Find You". She was then signed by 20th Century who put out her popular "Can't Take My Eyes Off You / Hot Ta Trot" on 12" in 1975. She had a good life back then, being involved in television work not only in the States, but in Europe as well (singing, acting and entertaining). Her most popular NS track was “I Go To Pieces” (Bell). She cut some of her tracks in New York based Oda Studios. The guys at the studio had this to say about her .... “She projects her voice skillfully and easily, making particularly good use of the rich, lower areas of her range. She phrases perceptively, enunciates cleanly and does it all with a casual throwaway manner as she takes confident command of the stage”. After taking a hiatus from singing, she returned to the biz, going back into the studio to cut some new tracks and starting touring again. She gets introduced by Sammy Davis 50 secs into this video .......... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=actE5uCT-k4 https://www.discogs.com/artist/Gerri+Granger

Just come across this & don't recall seeing it before ................

I have an almost mint copy of this. Was buying B&S every month back then and, like most other B&S buyers at the time, got a copy. So back then there were many copies about. These days I guess they are a lot more scarce. VALUE ....... I have no idea at all but guess the likes of Pete S will have an idea. Has Manship sold a copy in the recent past by any chance ?

Released in the US as just by Ila. Details here .... https://www.45cat.com/record/nc807334us Never seen a US or UK copy. Guesses on the net place this as a mid 70's release, your UK copy shows it was a 1971 release. Track included on Ila Van comp CD.

Not much Pete, apart from jocko 'coming out' as my biggest fan.

Sorry s(waggy) but there is a SS rule that good records can't be sold to Dony Rovers fans !!

Jocko, I'm so glad you realise that I'm the most important person on the world's NS scene .... it is satisfying to realise that my spectacular knowledge is so widely appreciated.

you mean there are venues that stay open after 1am, never been to one of them (in bed by 9pm every night these days). ... AND ... for your info, the last time I was on the scene was 1949, not 1967. PLEASE try to get your facts right.

For me the NS scene revolves around NS badged watches, NS mugs, NS tea sets, baggies, beer towels, embroidered badges ........... ....the music, how does that fit in ??

By all accounts the Crystal Bowl (which housed the Tin Chicken) was built on top of the Roman part of Cas. Info here .... 1960s - Redevelopment in Albion Street/Carlton Street, Castleford >> Substantial redevelopment started in 1963 and included a new bus station and the bowling alley, Crystal Bowl. Suddenly Roman finds were being found in large numbers, and the importance of Castleford’s Roman past began to be recognised. For the first time professional archaeologists were involved in Castleford. Staff from the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments office at York watched the work, but were not able to do detailed recording. Library staff did sterling work rescuing objects from the builders’ spoil heaps

Lots of info here on some of the old venues (Bee Gee, Spinning Disc, Tin Chicken aka Crystal Bowl + many more) & the buildings they were in ....... https://www.zanywoodruff.com/scrapbook/on-the-road

... AND .. discog info on their 45 releases here .......... https://www.45cat.com/label/challenge ... a bit of extra info on some cuts / artists if you pull up individual 45 details ... a straight discography here (but no more) ... https://www.globaldogproductions.info/

A piece here about their LP releases ........... https://www.bsnpubs.com/la/challenge/challenge.html

If you are anywhere near New York on Sunday August 11th (that's this Sunday) ......... you should pop along to this show in Damrosch Park (next to 63rd St & Broadway -- between Central Pk & the Hudson River) ...... https://www.lcoutofdoors.org/bobby-rush?show_date=2013-08-11%2017:00:00 A few really good acts are on plus the Holland Brothers will be chatting about their music and even singing a few of their old songs. I also believe McKinley Jackson will be playing the piano on their part of the show. HOPE THE PROCEEDINGS GET CAUGHT ON VIDEO !!!