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Clay Cole - The Clay Cole Show (The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll)
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Clay Cole is a former host and disk jockey, best known for his eponymous television dance program, The Clay Cole Show, which aired in New York City on WNTA and WPIX-TV from 1959 to 1968. The Clay Cole Show was unique among early television rock 'n' roll studio dance shows; it was witty and stylish with a sophisticated New York point-of-view. It was Clay's youth (21), his dancing ability and his fully integrated studio audience that set him apart.In 1959, New York City was the center of rock ‘n’ roll – The Brill Building songwriters, subway a cappella groups (later dubbed doo-wop groups by DJ Gus Gossert), mom-and-pop record labels, The Apollo Theater, and The Copa. New York became the port of disembarkation – the Plymouth Rock to the invading Brit Boy-Bands. New York was home to The Ed Sullivan Show and The Clay Cole Show.First on WNTA (Ch 13 - now WNET) in September 1959 as Rate the Records, within two months the format was changed, and an hour-long Saturday-night show was added. n the summer months, the show was expanded to an hour, six nights a week, live from Palisades Amusement Park, where Chubby Checker first performed and danced "The Twist."
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When WNTA's licence was sold to a public broadcasting foundation, the show moved to WPIX (Ch 11) where for five years it was wildly successful, thanks to first-time guest appearances of the Rolling Stones (on a program with one other guest, The Beatles), Neil Diamond, Dionne Warwick, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Tony Orlando, Blood, Sweat & Tears and The Rascals. Clay produced a full hour with just one guest, Tony Bennett. Clay Cole's pop culture memoir of the early years of rock 'n' roll and live television, "Sh-Boom! The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953-1968)" has been published by Morgan James.
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Sid Bernstein - Legendary Rock & Roll Promoter.
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For forty years SID BERNSTEIN has been one of the world's most influential and innovative music promoters. Not only did he initiate, organize and promote America's first stadium concert in 1965, but he did it at New York's Shea Stadium, with 55,000 people in attendance to watch the extraordinary introduction of "THE BEATLES." Masterminding that now legendary concert made Bernstein a household name throughout the arts world. But it was only one of his many acheivements. He has been behind (or inside) almost every major modern-music celebrity of this generation and past generations as well.
He represented Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley.
Bernstein not only introduced America to the Beatles, he was the creator of the "British Invasion." He also brought up-to-then obscure groups like "THE ROLLING STONES", "THE DAVE CLARK FIVE", "THE ANIMALS", "HERMAN'S HERMITS", "THE MOODY BLUES" AND THE KINKS".
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He discovered "THE RASCALS" and managed them for five years, making his first million in the process.
Berstein is an innovator. With the BEATLES at Shea (at the time the largest grossing concert in history), he gave the world the now-common ballpark concerts. He was the first to do a rock show at Madison Square Garden.
He was the booking agent for HULLABALOO, television's first rock show. Bernstein was the first to introduce rock-n-roll at Carnegie Hall.
He has presented such diverse talents as "WOODY ALLEN", "RICHARD PRYOR", "ARTHUR FEIDLER AND THE BOSTON POPS", "SAMMY DAVIS, JR.", "LINDA RONSTADT" and "CAROL CHANNING".
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Lydia Criss - "Sealed With A KISS"
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Lydia Criss
supported her husband, KISS drummer Peter Criss in almost every way imaginable,
from making some of the earliest KISS costumes, to providing financial and
emotional support for him while he pursued his dream of rock stardom. This
continued until KISS finally became successful in late 1975, when Lydia began
enjoying life as a homemaker and playing the role of the 1970s rock star wife. Lydia ended up earning rock celebrity status in her own right as the inspiration for
KISS's Top 10 hit single "Beth" for which she accepted The People's
Choice Award for "Favorite New Song of 1976."
Lydia looks back on her life in a self-published book "Sealed with a
KISS."
"Sealed with a KISS" can be purchased at www.lydiacriss.com
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Dinky Dawson - Rock's Most Famous Sound Man
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Innovator/visionary
in the field of sound, Dinky's genius has contributed to the success of many of
the most prominent music acts. Dinky became Fleetwood Mac ’s tour manager/sound engineer for
their tours, concerts, radio & TV shows. He worked with Watkins Electric Music (WEM) in London, England,
on design and operation of equipment used by all British groups
of the rock era (Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Stones, Pink Floyd, Rod
Stewart, Clapton, Hendrix, etc). He emigrated to America as sound engineer for The
Byrds and designed, maintained and operated their sound system. In
the early seventies, he founded Dawson Sound Company based on a revolutionary
acoustic suspension sound system, the first of its kind. Dawson Sound was the sound reinforcement company of the
seventies, with Dawson’s technical expertise and
talent evident on tours with the Kinks,
Joan Baez, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jeff Beck, Steely Dan, Linda Ronstadt, Joni
Mitchell, J. Geils Band, Warren Zevon, Orleans,
and Ambrosia, among others. In 1998 Billboard books printed "Life On The Road" The incredible
Rock 'n' Roll Adventures of Dinky Dawson wrote by Dinky Dawson & Carter Alan. 2000 Ryko-Disc released "Fleetwood Mac Shrine 69" the first
of live shows recorded from the mixing console engineered by Dinky Dawson. 2001
found Dinky producing Matter Of Time with
Lisa Jason.
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Dennis Ferrante - Grammy Award Winning Recording Engineer
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Dennis Ferrante, who worked on John Lennon's albums from "Imagine" through "Rock n' Roll" has also worked with a wide range of musical talents from Alice Cooper to Kiss. He is also credited in working with Three Dog Night, Harry Connick Jr., Joe Jackson, The Clash, Iggy Pop, Harry Nilsson, Hall & Oates, Waylon Jennings, The Raspberries, The Guess Who and The Delfonics.
Started his career as a singer in the 1960's in bands "Chips And Company" and "The Swampseeds", has worked as a recording engineer since the early 1970's.
He was awarded a 'Best Historical Album' Grammy Award in 2000 for his engineering work on "The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition - The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (1927 - 1973)".
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Peter Fornatale - Legendary NY DJ
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Pete Fornatale was an important figure in the progressive rock era
of FM broadcasting . He began professionally in 1969
at WNEW-FM and also worked at WXRK (nee WKTU). He returned to WFUV in 2001 and is heard weekly on his current
shows, "Mixed Bag" and "Mixed Bag Radio," which is also on XM satellite radio.
He won the Armstrong Excellence in Broadcasting Award in 1983. Fornatale has
authored many books on popular music culture. He has hosted many rock-related
programs on WNET, PBS's station in New York City, and he has been an on-air
consultant for rock music shows and specials on VH1, MTV and HBO.
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SHANNON
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Shannon is fandom's favorite rock & roll artist - not a
recording artist - but a fine artist - a painter who captures rock's legends
like no other. Shannon’s postal stamp designs have received national and
international recognition. Shannon has won numerous prestigious awards in the
fields of fine art and illustration. Such awards and successful projects, as
those noted above and many others, have caught the attention of the British
audience, which have named Shannon "The World’s Greatest Beatles Artist." This
title has secured her the position of creating over one hundred and paintings
for the first-ever Beatles themed Hotel, appropriately called, “The Hard Day’s
Night Hotel.”
Shannon has developed and perfected her painting style and in
the process has amassed legions of loyal fans. Creative design, vivid depictions
and luminous images are well known characteristics of art that is
purely...Shannon.
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Shaun Weiss
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Shaun Weiss is the son of The Beatles' attorney
Nat Weiss. He holds the distinction of being the only person in the world to
have attended both 1964 Ed Sullivan Beatles tapings, the Shea Stadium concerts
and also the Beatles' Apple rooftop concert, their last live show. Shaun
is also an artist liason, and is responsible for organizing some of the
artists' appearances at conventions and events.
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May Pang
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New York native May Pang grew up surrounded by music. From street-corner “doo-wop” groups like Dion & The Belmonts to the British
Invasion of 1964, rock n’ roll became May’s passion.” May began an 18-month
relationship with John Lennon that has become known misleadingly as “Lennon’s
Lost Weekend.” During this period, John was actually the most productive and
successful in his post-Beatles career. He achieved his first #1 single,
"Whatever Gets You Thru The Night," his first #1 album, "Walls And Bridges," and
was on the forefront of celebrity collaborations with Elton John, David Bowie,
Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr. During their relationship, May continued as
John’s production assistant & coordinator at John’s request. Her efforts
were rewarded with an RIAA Gold Record Award for "Walls And Bridges." She wrote
the books "Loving John" and "Instamatic Karma."
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Eddie Kelly - American Bandstand Dancer
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American Bandstand is a tv show that was hosted from 1957 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer. The show featured teenagers dancing to
Top 40-type music introduced by Clark.Kids from all over the country watched the regulars – Bunny Gibson and Eddie Kelly, and the rest. They copied their hair
styles and learned their dances.The show was featured prominently in the 2002–2005 NBC-TV drama series American Dreams, which like
Bandstand was executive produced by Dick
Clark. In a 2005 episode of American Dreams, Eddie Kelly and Bunny
Gibson—one of the most famous couples to appear on American Bandstand in
the Philadelphia years—were the only two to make cameo appearances on the
acclaimed TV series. Along with that, Eddie Kelly and Bunny Gibson were named a
number of times in the script and Eddie Kelly referred to in the last episode.
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Scott Cummings - Bodyguard To The Stars
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Scott Cummings - Michael Jackson's former bodyguard
Best known as Michael Jackson's former bodyguard, Scott is also an author and he has been a bodyguard to many other celebrity stars like Donald Trump, Sir Elton John Bill Cosby, Martha Stewart, and many others. Additionally, Scott has also worked alongside such government icons as President's Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon and former U.S. Secretary Henry Kissinger.
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These are just some of the guests who will appear. More being added.
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AUTOGRAPHS - LIVE INTERVIEWS - PANELS - PERFORMANCES
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UNPLUGGED SESSIONS - AUCTIONS - RARE FILM SCREENINGS
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PLUS THE WORLD'S LARGEST ROCK & ROLL
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MUSIC & MEMORABILIA MARKETPLACE
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