Magic Returns to Sioux Falls

Thank you for everyone who told me they like my blog. I will update more often.

I'm back from the South Dakota Rock Hall of Fame 2011 Induction event April 16 in Sioux Falls. This is the third year I have attended -- I was inducted into the Hall in 2009.

Each year, a sense of magic returned for me and many others who attended. Though decades have passed, the South Dakota Rock Hall takes me back to when I was 18 and the world was mine to conquer. For a few hours, I felt like I could fly.

Here are some of my personal highlights from the weekend:

• THE REUNION OF THE X-MEN

(photo: The X-Men in 1965)

Though I didn't book the X-Men, I promoted many shows that featured them. Gary Johnson, Mike Connor and John Everist went on to be part of Those of Us, one of my bands.

The X-Men were in fine form at the SD Rock Hall bash. What I liked the most was that they played two of their original tunes, "Believe Me" and "Until It Is Time for Me to Leave." I had heard these songs many times on 45 rpm singles but the X-Men brought new life to them with incredible passion and raw emotion.


(photo: Mike Connor & Gary Johnson 2011)

The X-Men played so well but the night belonged to Mike Connor who was honored with a life time achievement award from the SD Rock Hall.

Mike Connor brought the best out of each member of the X-Men in the same way he has brought out the best in musicians, friends and associates for four decades. This night was magic and Mike Connor was the wizard. Thank you, Mike.

• THE STARFIRES REUNION & TRIBUTE THE STEVE ELLIS & MORE

Back in the day, Steve Ellis and the Starfires were the best band in the area -- terrific musicians, great songs and one step ahead of cool. After Steve Ellis died in a tragic motorcycle accident in 1967, the band dissolved.

Barry Hanson (photo left) was one of the Starfires but seemed to be on the way to becoming a rock casualty. But, he reappeared in Sioux Falls for the Rock Hall concert.

He emerged as a rock showman and storyteller (kind of like Springsteen) with amazing focus and energy -- like he was channeling God. The Starfires set closed with the band playing "Amazing Grace" behind a video tribute to Steve Ellis. But wait -- the tribute video kept going and lovingly remembered other great local rockers who had passed. I cried. It was a highlight of my life. Thank you, Barry.


• THE TORRES REUNION

Fritz Leigh, Rick Gillis, Mike Strub and Gary Meyer were joined by original member Steve Manolis and others to show the incredible influence the Beatles and the Byrds had on all of us.

Time and space evaporated and we were taken to a 1966 Pontiac on gravel road on a moon lit night.




• "BOSS" BRIAN CUMMINGS & THE MOB REAPPEAR

Brian Cummings and Mike Paris from The Mob (above) at the SD Rock Hall reception. Brian is perhaps the most talent radio announcer and voice actor I know. He had enormous influence on my career. Brian rocked at KISD Sioux Falls, KIMM Rapid City and KSDN Aberdeen before fame and fortune in Hollywood where he is still a bfd.

The Mob, from Chicago, made Sioux Falls a second home by making frequent appearances at The Mocamba Club, a famous and notorious hot spot. Their set at the SD Rock Hall bash thrilled the SRO crowd topped by "Try A Little Tenderness."

• AUTHOR CHRIS HARPER DELIVERS THE MEANING OF IT ALL

Chris Harper (photo right with Chris Buren at a book signing at Zandbroz Variety) was the lead singer for my band The Trippers. He has just released the book "Flyover Country" http://flyovercountry.co/ which tells how he and the class of 1969 met the world and lived life.

Chris hired me to do advance work on the book and he appeared on radio interviews, at book signings and in a nice article in the Argus Leader.

In the book, Chris says "rock n roll saved my life."

Me too!

Thank you to the South Dakota Music Association and everyone for such a wonderful time.

Wonderful New Book About the Roof Garden Ballroom

Tom Tourville and Rebecca Peters have released an excellent book about one of the region's most popular ballrooms -- Remembering Okoboji's Roof Garden Ballroom: The Rock 'n Roll Years.

The book is a remarkable compilation of the history of the ballroom and the bands who played there. The book was made possible because of the authors high quality scholarship and attention to detail. It is an easy read and will be of interest to anyone who wants to learn more about rock 'n roll culture from 1955 to 1987.

I am fascinated by the month-by-month, year-by-year listings of the bands and events at the Roof Garden. You can see the times and music change before your eyes. You will be amazed by who played the Roof, particularly in the pre-corporate era: the Yardbirds, the Beach Boys, Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, Mason Profitt -- and on and on.

One of the features I like the most are contracts for appearances by Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps Sam the Sham, etc. The book left me totally satisfied but wanting more.

Remembering Okoboji's Roof Garden Ballroom: The Rock 'n Roll Years is available from the authors for $18.50 (includes shipping). Here is the address:

Midwest Publications
Box 404
Spirit Lake, IA 51360

The Wayward Wind Gets To Me

Way back in early days I listened to my mom's radio and was connected to the world. Listen to the true story of how Gogi Grant (photo at left) came into my life. I was never the same again.

Click this link:

The Wayward Wind Gets To Me

and press ">play"

Skywave Rider Book Club: Al Kooper Biography

I had lost track of Al Kooper. I loved his work way been when -- Super Session, The Blues Project and early Blood, Sweat and Tears. I played them all on my radio shows.

When I was recently reading Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller (another good read) I learned that Kooper had crossed paths with both Joni Mitchell and Carole King in their early years.

in her book, Weller cites Al Kooper's 1977 autobiography Backstage Passes & Backstabbing Bastards. I searched for Backstage... online and saw the 1977 edition was out-of-print and existing copies were selling for several hundred dollars each.

Then, I saw that Kooper in 2007 had released a revised version that incorporates much of the celebrated earlier book. So, I bought a copy.

Kooper's book tells his story in a totally raw and uncompromising manner. I found myself frequently thinking "what a jerk" as Kooper describes situations and people who screwed him again and again. And the people (particularly women) he screwed. The Kooper I met is full of anger issues, paranoia and grudges.

Also, Kooper writes of amazing encounters and experiences with musicians at key times in their lives. Kooper played organ on Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone and most of tracks on Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blond and New Morning. He recounts vivid times backing Dylan when Bob first went "electric" at the Newport Folk Festival and the Hollywood Bowl.

The great names and events roll through out the book: Gene Pitney, This Diamond Ring (Kooper wrote it), Monterey Pop, the Rolling Stones, Clive Davis, Smokey Robinson, Lynyrd Skynyrd (Kooper produced their first three albums), Michael Mann (Kooper did the music for the remarkable TV series Crime Story) and on and on.

Kooper's road is littered with burned bridges, rip offs and hard feelings. His career descends lower and lower, much of it caused by his own words and deeds.

In the end, Kooper finds himself, starts teaching at the Berklee School of Music, gets his musical voice and reflects on the full measure of his life.

This a courageous book because Al Kooper tells the truth and gives us "a piece of his heart." His stories mean a lot to him and to me too.

Ken Holding Together on KLOH October 1970

In the fall of 1970, I started doing an underground rock show on Sundays on KLOH AM & FM. The show was called Holding Together, inspired by Tony Glover's all night folk and blues show on KDWB and Beeker Street on KAAY, Little Rock.

To hear a brief scoped aircheck, click on this link and push the "play" button:

Ken Holding Together on KLOH October 1970

Ken on KLOH August 1971

I was in my second year doing "rock 40" on KLOH in the summer of 1971. The station gave me incredible freedom. I'd mix current top hits with album cuts and oldies. This was taped on a Saturday afternoon.

To hear a brief scoped aircheck, click on this link and push the "play" button:

Ken on KLOH August 1971

Lost & Found Sound: KISD Tribute to Steve Ellis

On August 31, 1967 Steve Ellis, leader of Steve Ellis and the Starfires, was killed in a motorcycle accident on Highway 23 just south of Pipestone, Minnesota. His death came as a shock to everyone in the local music community. How could someone so vital, so alive, die?

Two weeks following Steve's death, Tom Rambler from KISD radio assembled the three remaining members of the Starfires -- Barry Hansen, Mike Mulligan, and Dean Senthner -- for an interview to remember Steve. The interview was made into a half-hour radio program that also featured the band's music.

The program aired on KISD in late September 1967. I recorded it off-the-air on my Wollensak reel-to-reel tape deck. You can hear the program, plus how KISD sounded back then, at:

Lost & Found Sound: KISD Tribute to Steve Ellis (click this link and press "play")





Portions of Tom Rambler's interview were later included on the IGL release "Steve Ellis and the Starfires Songbook."





















This is perhaps the last known photograph of Steve Ellis and the Starfires performing in June 1967. The location is unknown.

Band members left-to-right are Mike Mulligan (bass), Dean Senthner (drums), Steve Ellis and Barry Hansen.





In 1966, Steve Ellis and the Starfires released "Walking Around." The song, which is included in the KISD radio program, made the Billboard chart and received considerable radio airplay.