GO FUND ME STAR STUDDED CONCERT FOR JEFF JONES
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THE GLORIOUS CORNER
Story By: G. H. HARDING
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| Dionne Warwick |
RADIO LOSES ANOTHER ONE --- There’s seems to be more radio legends retiring or relocating this year than I ever remember. Local-favorite and radio-legend Pat St. John did his final radio show last night on CBS FM, wrapping up 42 years on radio, including stints on WPLJ, WNEW-FM, WAXQ and CBS-FM.
"I don't want any tears," said St. John. "No one should say they're sad. This is a happy, wonderful moment. I've loved my 42 years here and now I'm moving to something else I love."
He and his wife Jan have two daughters, Karson and Tierney, and now two grandchildren.
They will be relocating to the San Diego area where their daughters now reside.
This does mean he's retiring from radio. Rather, St. John will continue doing his daily 1 p.m. show on SiriusXM's Sixties On 6.
"I've been doing the show from home for about 10 years," he says. "Now I'll just do it from a different city. Our new place has a facility, which I will turn into a studio.”
"The best thing about the SiriusXM show is that I'm doing it live now. That just makes a difference. So my New York fans can still hear me. They'll just need to cough up a few bucks for satellite."
With Vin Scelsa retiring from WFUV next month, there aren't many voices left from those golden years of radio, and St. John acknowledges radio has changed a lot since then.
"The relationship with the listeners has remained the same," he says. "That's as solid as ever. What we're allowed to do for them now is another story."
It's become an all-too-familiar story: less personality, more tightly formatted playlists. Much of radio over the years has evolved into shut-up-and-play-more-music. Q104.3’s Ken Dashow, Jim Kerr and Jonathan Clarke; and, CBS’ own Scott Shannon are essentially the last of the breed.
I still shudder when I think about the time I found out that today’s radio play lists are mostly compiled by computer and that the DJ present (if there even is a real one there) can only really add a song or two to that list.
"I've been fortunate," St. John says. "It isn't free-form any more, but I've been allowed to say things and play some of my songs."
In fact, that's one of the things St. John's fans have always liked most about his radio style. He'll play a song and talk about a lyric, or connect songs thematically.
He was a record collector before he got into radio, and he remains one today.
A class-act for sure. He'll be missed for sure. Good luck Pat.
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE ---X Files star David Duchovny, announced that he’s dropping his debut solo album, Hell or Highwater, on May 12.
Duchovny shared the big news by tweeting, “I sing.” He also posted a link to a brief video clip that showed him in the recording studio.
“Making this record is a dream come true, but I never had this dream — it’s still a shock when I think about how all this music happened,” Duchovny said in a statement about the album, which will be released by ThinkSay Records.
“What I do know is that I feel these songs represent the truest expression that I've ever been able to achieve and I look forward to sharing it with everyone.”
Duchovny’s music debut features 12 songs penned by the actor, including the title track, which is also the album’s first single.
For those who want to see him perform live, the actor said that he will do a few live appearances to support the album.
“I'm learning what it's like to sing with a live band, how close to be to the mic, learning about singing, period," Duchovny said. "It's a journey of discovery for me.”
"I hope that I get to discover certain things before the audience does, so it's not too painful," he continued.
The TV star’s big music news comes not so long after it was announced that he and Gillian Anderson would reprise their iconic X Files characters Mulder and Scully for a six-episode return in 2016.
In a way, this mark’s the actor’s return to the music charts; he sort of debuted in a sense with Bree Sharp’s 1999 single “David Duchovny.”
JAMMIN FOR JONES --- Beloved songwriter and musician Jeff Jones has been stricken with both MS and Parkinson’s disease and is struggling to survive. Jeff toured with the Monkees and has written songs for Art Garfunkel, Johnny Mathis, Stephen Bishop, Alabama, and Hurricane.
The benefit Jammin For Jones with Stephen Bishop and friends, will be held on April 28 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills.
This benefit concert will include performances by Dionne Warwick, British pop star Rumer, Micky Dolenz (of the Monkees), Howard Jones and video tributes from One Direction, Randy Newman & Michael McDonald.
Jeff describes living with MS and Parkinson’s like, “Walking up hill in mud with 40 lbs weights around your ankles.
Funds raised will go towards Jeff’s medical expenses.
CLOSING NOTES --- Remember Hozier singing with Annie Lennox on the 57th Grammy broadcast in February? For me, he was one of the highlights of the show. We finally got a copy of his debut self-titled CD and simply love it. We'll have more notes on it Wednesday; but the track “From Eden” is just superb. So far, the album of the year to me …
Man Men’s New Business episode last night was just sensational. Matthew Weiner’s writing is just sensational. 4 episode left of the AMC show which to me, is one of the best things ever on TV. Not too late to check it out …
The second Gloria Reuben show at The Metropolitan Room is this Friday.
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