BIRMINGHAM RECORD COLLECTORS
DEDICATED TO THE COLLECTING OF MUSIC, ITS PRESERVATION AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP
THIS MONTH’S MEETING WILL BE THE SECOND SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH 2:00 PM
HOMEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY 1721 OXMOOR RD BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
NEXT MONTH’S MEETING WILL BE HELD THE SECOND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12TH AT 2:00 PM
HOMEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY 1721 OXMOOR RD BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
THIS MONTH’S MEETING
Thanks to BRC member Martin Johnson whose presentation last month on the L.A. music scene, specifically the Whisky A-Go-Go was very information, entertaining and enlightening. Until Martin mentioned it to me a short time back I did not know that the Johnny Rivers’ live album recorded at the Whisky was the opening night of the venue and that he was the first performer. Why would an act that had not had a charted song yet be chosen as the opening act at the Whisky? The answer will be found as you continue reading.
This month we have scheduled to be with us both Henry Lovoy and Ross Gagliano. Both guys have been with us separately over the past few years but now we have both together Henry and Ross are cousins and played together in one of Birmingham’s well-known bands, The Rockin’ Rebellions. Don’t miss it!
Next month BRC member David Shoemaker will be presenting a program on the Group Harmony sound. Plan on being there for that one as well.
BRC’S 40TH ANNUAL RECORD SHOW
I attended the Birmingham show last weekend for the second time with my friend Laurent and I wanted to thank you for the organization. I found some good stuff down there, and thanks to all the people that are workin’ with you. All the best from Normandy, France. Tib
Great record show this weekend!!! I will be back for sure. Thank you so much for the lifetime member card!! I really appreciate that!! All the best from France. Laurent
My first show to attend thanks to recommendation of a friend. 7 hours straight of going through records on Saturday. Absolutely amazing. Thanks to all that put in the hard work to make this possible. W.C.
I had an EPIC haul on Friday and Saturday. Don’t miss the smaller room there were lots of good deals! Dennis
It was a great show and great attendence. Got to talk to a lot of Elton fans. We look forward to next year. –Reggie
This is fun. It’s like Christmas. Olivia
Love this show, but I get melancholy because there’s lots of dealer friends I knew when I first started selling there in the mid 80s who have passed on. Still it’s a wonderful ritual to attend each year. Tony
Found one from my ‘gotta-have’ want list and the price was right! And many other bargains were found as well. Charles
These are just a few of the quotes we received or heard concerning the BRC record show last month. We had a great time and met so many new people and greeted some old friends again. From what we can tell it was our biggest show as far as attendance since we have been at Gardendale the last 14 years. We gave out 943 wristbands. I don’t remember the exact count from last year but it was somewhere between 825-850 I believe. And as was stated by 2 of the people above, thanks to all who helped make this year’s show happen and making it fun for all. Maybe 2026 will be our year to break the 1,000 mark.
One more thing involving quotes. At the show on Sunday I decided to ask BRC members that I saw to give me a request I can use for the upcoming BRC Radio Show. I got over 20 requests that included music from the 1950’s through the 2000’s. Putting the show together was one of my favorite ones to do. It included such a wide variety of music from people who love music. I received two quotes from people who have listened to the show including, ‘Wow! What a diverse and eclectic bunch of collectors we are. Great radio show. I really enjoyed this one’. And then this one, ‘Really good show, Charlie. The club members’ song choices were truly interesting and very entertaining. Hey, we all got good tastes!’ So give the show a listen. I know you will enjoy the wide range of music.
SONG AND MUSIC FACTS
Time Is On My Side
When you hear the song title, ‘Time Is On My Side’ do you think of The Rolling Stones? I bet a few of you think of Irma Thomas. But neither were the first to record this song. Here is the history of the song that you may not know. It was originally written as an instrumental by Jerry Ragovoy using the pseudonym Norman Meade. The first recording was done by Kai Winding in 1963. There was a chorus where 3 back up singers sang, ‘Time is on my side – you’ll come running back’. Those 3 ladies were Dee Dee Warwick, Dionne Warwick and Cissy Houston. Not a bad back up group. It came out on the Verve Record Label in November, 1963. Lyrics were written by Jimmy Norman for the recording done by Irma Thomas in May, 1964. Some of you will remember the Jimmy Norman song, ‘I Don’t Love You No More’. Neither Kai Winding nor Irma’s version would chart but the Stones version would go to #6 on the pop charts and become a Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame song. It would be the groups’ first Top 10 hit. There have been over 60 covers of the song. I get the feeling none of that would have happened if the Stones had not covered it and had the success they did. It may have been a song that no one would know today. Back in the 1960’s Irma Thomas was a favorite here in Birmingham and we heard many of her releases including ‘Time Is On My Side’ which were not played other parts of the country. The Kai Winding version is very good with those 3 ladies in the back ground sounding great. Listen to Kai Winding’s ‘Time Is On My Side’.
Why Johnny Rivers
The Whisky a Go Go chose Johnny Rivers to open their club because the owner of the Whisky had seen Johnny performing at a nearby club and saw that he had a large following and there was excitement in the place. He wanted that at the Whisky and thus Johnny Rivers became the opening act and that sound brought about the ‘Go-Go’ sound of R&R. That live LP produced Johnny’s first charted song, ‘Memphis’.
BRC RADIO
And don’t forget you can find BRC Radio shows on the BRC website. Our 3 hosts play all kinds of music including hit songs from the 1950’s – present, LP cuts, songs that received little or no air-play, and all genres. Just go the birminghamrecord.com and click on the ‘RADIO’ icon and chose a show. Here are some of the latest shows. Click to listen.
See ya,
Charlie