"Lynyrd Skynyrd, after Montrose featuring Sammy Hagar July 4th, 1975 at Rickwood Field," said Bamabadger62. We put on a heck of a show, said Grier. For an 18-year-old to take home a pillowsack full of dollars, that was quite a heady time.. big bam shows montgomery, alabamasmart search field in safari. We'll have to ask him. December 24, 1958: Jerry Lee Lewis ; December 12, 1959: Fabian, The Fleetwoods, The Browns, Floyd Robinson and Bobby Lee Trammell But in the minds of Alabama listeners, WVOK and WBAM ruled supreme, and the stations were closely linked by their concert series. JLL put on a hell of a show also. Bell. But he's sure the introduction was brief, wasting no time as Beatlemania raged. Hal Hodgens of WVOK is second from left. Some of the items will go on exhibit starting Thursday at the Alabama. From Denniswingo: "Was there! In fact, it's safe to say that music shows producedby the Brennans, focusing on rock 'n' roll, Top 40 pop and country, defined the concert experience for an entire generation of fans in those cities. "One of the the things we had to do, in order to provide bathroom facilities for all of the artists, we had a bunch of RVs, recreation vehicles, and they were all over the field out there," Brennan says. View the Full Page. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing LLC. 1984 at the BJCC. Elvis Presley. Herman's Hermits. Brennan's memories of the showsare less starry-eyed and more businesslike, as befitsthe man who booked the acts, paid the bills and tallied the proceeds. Later acts included the Beach Boys, the Animals, the Dave Clark Five, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Tommy James and the Shondells and the perennial Montgomery favorite, Lou Christie. He said, 'We're going to put both of them on.' Make Favorite Store Contact 1957 Cobbs Ford Rd. It was great! "It was a promotional thing for us. Sweet Young Uns That's how we put together our shows. Their big prize was three VOX . Mosley tribes Lyndel . Hank Williams was another frequent live on-air performer. In Montgomery, music was the Big Bam show put on at Garrett Coliseum by WBAM, and there I saw Neil Diamond, the Buckinghams, Tommy James and the Shondells. He kicked it off with (what else?) "We'd camp out at the door, on the steps and wait. People came from several states to see these shows. Readers of AL.com have plenty of ideas. Its better than not being remembered at all.. Hes been a school principal and now sells wholesale art, although business has been suffering due to the economy. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The Beach Boys were fresh-faced headliners that night, riding high on the success of hits such as "I Get Around," "Surfer Girl," "Surfin' U.S.A,""Help Me, Rhonda" and "California Girls." As a result, Captain and Tennille declined ABC's offer to do a second season. The song actually topped the charts on WBAM in Montgomery, AL for a few weeks which gave us introductions to the British Invasion groups coming through Montgomery for the Big BAM shows held at the Coliseum for many years, like The Who, The Hollies, The Blues Magoos, The Kinks, and many more including American groups like The Beach Boys, The . Their first gig was at the Wetumpka Recreation Center where admission was $1. The WVOK Shower of Stars was a series of concerts sponsored by WVOK-AM at the Birmingham Armory and later at Birmingham's Municipal Auditorium.Program director Dan Brennan organized the shows, which gained national notice.. Concerts. "I'm also a little partial to Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Jerry Reed, Johnny Paycheck, when they played at Old York Farms in the late '90s," said Jeremy Don McCollough. I said, 'Cyril, what do you think we ought to do?' "We had a room set up at our house that had little cubbyholes, like a post office has, and Clara would be back there, stuffing these envelopes, and getting the tickets," Brennan says. The band's management initially asked for 85 percent of the ticket proceeds or $25,000, whichever was greater, Brennan says. The last Big BAM show was headlined by B.J. It's not like now, where they have secret tunnels and drive right into the auditorium.". It was a clear channel station that covered over 90 counties in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, and could be heard everywhere. Steve Lander, who originally booked Harvest at the Kove in 1975, has offered the Blue Iguana free for the night. The Rockin' Rebellions won top honors - beating out 67 other bands from throughout Alabama. Cyril Brennan, who received a Top Program Director award from Billboard Magazine, is retired and lives in Pike Road. She came back a few minutes later and absolutely blasted a massive bongo solo. I tried to get us all to dress up as the Fruit of the Loom guys but no one wanted to., For musicians who played together for years, there wont be a need to practice much, if at all. "In those days, you could go to a concert and there was only one back door. The Carpenters. Jerry Lee Lewis, the Brennans said. I said, 'Well, this is Roy's show. Thats not to say Montgomery area favorite bands cant be seen any more. From au92536: "June Jam in Fort Payne - I know it's country BUT. If you have one, it's going to be way down the other part of the field.' So they both sang a few bars of the song, 'You're the Reason I'm Living," and we still couldn't decide which one was the real one. The Animals. Where else could you scream your head off while watching a dozen live acts play the hit songs you listened to on your transistor radio for the whopping ticket price of $2.50? The Beatles were paid a fee of $50,000 -- a hefty sum in those days, Brennan says -- and in the thick of the civil rights movement, the band's contract specified that they wouldn't perform for a segregated audience. When Cher and Sonny first met in 1963, she was 16, while he was 27 and married (he and his first wife were separated). Can you believe it? "Little Feat at Boutwell mid 70s. . The stage was an immense rectangle glutted with scaffolding and hundreds of klieg lights and a sound system on a board that looked like the skyline of New York at night. The bands would come in cars -- just plain old cars -- and they'd get their guitars out and walk past you. . It was the summer after my senior year, said Grier, who was joined by Keith Brewer on bass, Bobby Dupree on drums, Rusty Crumpton on guitar, Ronnie Monroe on trumpet and Ed Sanford on keyboards. The Righteous Brothers. When Peter Noone left Hermans Hermits in 1971, Hermits drummer Barry Whitwam keep going, and today continues to lead his own Hermans Hermits band (as does Noone performing as Hermans Hermits starring Peter Noone). Alabama State Coliseum (1951-1963) Garrett Coliseum (1963-) Oct 5 2019 Once solo and once with a band. He plays locally at Ruddles, Coaches Corner in Wetumpka, Young Barn Oyster Pub, and has recorded a CD. truly historic happening. Brennan, who understands the pull of nostalgia, says he's heard similar sentiments from many Birmingham folkswho came of age at the Shower of Stars. From:"Rodney Justo" To:"robert register" Subject:Re: HEY EL NIXO! The Quad show was FREE! Her very own father was on stage, standing closeto four of the most famous musicians in the world. One show in particular stands out. (It was free.) I told Jimbo we should all come in with walkers, laughed Beavers. ", "Rolling Stones in Auburn '69," said James Robert Chambless. I just went to the Coliseum for the music. "Put You Down" was written by lead guitarist Max Kendrick and vocalist Rich Gainer. He remembers the Kove days with Harvest/Harmony fondly, not only for the bands music but the people who came to see them. There was always so much excitement surrounding the shows, Knapp said. The Rockin' Gibraltars, Montgomery, 1960s. Dan Brennan, center, backstage at the Shower of Stars with with Paul Revere & the Raiders. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). With the help of Bill Moody and Cyril Brennan at WBAM, their music was played on the 100,000-watt radio station, helping the group built a following as an R&B band. "Me and my girlfriends would get up at -- holy moly, 6 a.m. -- and get there long before the show ever started," said Connie Peek, a former Shower of Stars regular, during a 2003 interview with The Birmingham News. But it never happened. Dan Brennan, center, with the Grass Roots. "The level of excitement was unbelievable," Bartoletti says. Birmingham on May 20, 1967. By 1972 the heyday of the big shows had passed. By the time they came to get us we were pretty shozzeled.. Disbanded in 66, reunited 76, returned to active performance 1991. Formed: 1966, Tallassee. But Brennandoes have many stories to share -- about preventing a fistfight between two starswho wanted theclosing spot in Birmingham, or example, or puzzling over two entertainerswho showed up in Montgomery, both claiming to be country singer Bobby Edwards. We were considered the number one soul band in the south. The Young Rascals. For this little kid from Wetumpka, that was a big, big deal, he said. Emerson, Lake and Palmer in QUAD sound - Tuscaloosa circa 1973. The Who. Big BAM shows, Montgomery Several readers made fond mention of multi-act shows presented by WBAM-AM, a sister station to Birmingham's WVOK-AM, during the 1960s and early '70s. Dylan with Brian Setzer Orchestra opening (about 1998 ?). I was very happy with doing the work I did. My personal favorite concert of all times was Billy Joel at the BJCC Concert Hall. And if we hadn't had (Hurricane Dora), we would have made a lot of money. The resulting concerts -- which evolved into a series called the WVOK Shower of Stars in Birmingham, the Big BAM shows in Montgomery and the Big APE Convention in Jacksonville -- became enormously popular with radio listeners. The wildest thing other than the Troggs rocking out to "Wild Thing" and whipping around long dirty hanks of British hair was Lou Christie. "I remember the Rolling Stones came up to me, and they said, 'You don't really expect us to get into the same RV that the Beach Boys are in, do you?' It was the most important thing in our lives. Saturday, April 8, 1967 Garrett Coliseum, Montgomery, AL Blues Magoos Brian Hyland Lou Christie The Buckinghams The Casinos The Electric Prunes The Royal Guardsmen The Turtles The Rogues recorded the 45 in February of 1966, for MBM Records, a Birmingham, Alabama label that goes back to the early '60s. I said, 'Well, you've got a choice here. Members: Mitch Alton (original member), Gregg Pappas, Ham Wilson, Bill Marshall , Dwight Williams, Rick Byrd, Orville Cain, Carl Tesh. Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. They would buy so many tickets in advance, we didn't have to worry about whether they were going to come or not.". The Brennan Brothers were radio broadcast innovators of the 1950s and 60s, when they owned and operated powerhouse stations in Jacksonville, Chattanooga, and . In one fell swoop, he was in hot demand. I kept going to at least one show a year through about 1968, he said. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Patsy Cline. Brennan estimates that 16,000-17,000 people came to Legion Field for the show, fulfilling the radio station's mission but falling short of blockbuster status. Brother Cyril Brennan, 84, was alternately chief engineer, manager, program director and music director at WBAM and also involved in lining up talent. Gary Puckett & the Union Gap. Still, for radio listeners who tuned into WVOK back in the day, Brennan will always be Dan the Music Man. This was the last concert they did before going back to LA and joining the band Fleetwood Mac. Bobby Goldsboro was having a nice run of hits in the mid-'60s when suddenly, with the release of a song called "Honey" in 1968, he became a major star. It gave them a voice. Wynton M. Blount Cultural Park 52 Theaters Parks By Meowy by Lenore Reese Vickrey: photos by the Brennan Family, Lenore Vickrey, As the arena began to fill up, you could hear the noise of the crowd from backstage. Our four-piece horn section sets us apart, said Key. WVOK used Legion Field as a test case that spring, Brennan says, to see if the Shower of Stars could work at Birmingham's largest venue. No one came down to buy scalped tickets at the price everyone thought they were going to have to pay.. hehehehe .", From Mark Keppler: "Eagles 1977 Hotel California Tour Civic Center. Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Tommy, I'm in Montgomery, Alabama. "Elviswas an opening act," Brennan says.