That’s Life! (new blog for December 5/16)

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Jimmy-Bowen-1When Frank Sinatra hired Jimmy Bowen (pictured) to head up his new label called Reprise they quickly booked a studio to do their first session. Jimmy back in the day had a few medium sized hits of his own and also had been the bass player on Buddy Knox’s million seller “Party Doll” so he knew what a hit sounded like. Frank, as usual, brought in the Nelson Riddle orchestra for the session but when they were done Jimmy asked Frank if he would mind doing it again with his band. The folks who hung out with Sinatra were shocked because they knew from experience that he seldom did any retakes let alone a whole album. Jimmy was on his honeymoon at Reprise so frank agreed to do the session again with folks like Leon Russell on piano, Glen Campbell on guitar, and Hal Blain on drums. I would have given anything to have seen the meeting between Frank and Leon Russell as they prepared to record “Strangers In The Night.” Frank wisely chose the session using Jimmy’s band for the album which became his biggest seller. He never recorded with Nelson Riddle again and Jimmy went on to produce a newcomer by the name of Garth Brooks.
 
A FEW OTHER THINGS I WAS THINKING ABOUT…
 
No matter the economy we always have enough money for war don’t we.
 
As John Houston once said, “all an air talent needs on air is sincerity and if they can fake that then they should head to Hollywood and stop messing around with radio. Hollywood pays a lot more.”
 
Why do radio people when they are writing about their radio station on Facebook assume we know what city it’s located in?
 
Has any Republican ever smoked weed?
 
Being thankful without saying it ain’t no use to anyone. When I was growing up I remember my folks believing every word the government said, but I sure don’t.
 
Why does free WiFi always seems to be down?
 
Things really aren’t usually black or white they’re mostly gray.
 
I know a lot about radio and very little about much else but like most folks I have opinions about everything.
 
Hey radio did you ever notice that when a show on Broadway is unsuccessful they close it down.
 
How come you hear about very few ISIS attacks on Israel. I guess they know what would happen.
 
Speaking of Israel, why don’t we just let them do what their enemies want to do to them, they don’t need our protection or are we actually protecting everyone else from them? 
 
Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.
 
Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose what laws you’ll obey.
 
Everything that happens is not good but there is some good in everything that happens.
 
No one is more sensitive than I am but it must not be the sensitivity women are looking for otherwise I’d have a bunch of them.
 
Being stereotyped as being racist ’cause I’m white tends to make me racist.
 
I don’t handle being ignored as well as I should but then who does.
 
Few people realize that Bernie also won the popular vote which gave him the same results as Hillary ended up with.
 
Nobody ever said, “excuse me” as they hurtled towards success.
 
The only advice that people are willing to listen to is advice about stuff they already agree with.
 
Balancing the budget is easy if you don’t have the power to do so.
 
Good memories are the greatest gift one could ever receive.
 
If you are unable to change things it may be time to change yourself.
 
I wonder how long it will take ’05 to mean 2005 instead of 1905?
 
Creativity is usually used to create a reason to do something you really want to do or an excuse when you don’t want to.
 
The desire for money is so strong that it can even change the rules of religion. What say you about that Mr. Pope?
 

The best and worst thing that will ever happen to you is falling in love but the joy that it even happened far outweighs the sadness of its ending.

 

For a peek at a few Blogs under construction go to GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio.

 

8 thoughts on “That’s Life! (new blog for December 5/16)

  1. Anyone who immediately thinks 1905 rather than 2005 when they hear “05” is not only way over the hill but probably lost a few marbles over that hill – and old enough to know who Glen Campbell, Nelson Riddle and Leon Russel are. (Sinatra gets a pass for another generation.)

  2. Hey George! Your thoughts on Bowen, Blaine, Glen Campbell and Leon Russell and company reminds me. If you haven;t seen a “cult” movie called “The Wrecking Crew,” check it out when you can. I’ve seen it on DirecTV on a channel called AXS, and when I told another music lover about it, he bought it on Netflix for $3. It’s also played on the big screen in L.A. and N,Y, and some “artsy” theaters around North America.

    It’s done by L.A. session legend Tommy Tedesco’s son about all the guys who backed all the literally hundreds of hits you know who were nicknamed “The Wrecking Crew” in LA.. Incredible stories behind the songs on all the riffs, etc.

    As you know, I’m not a musician, but I was riveted.

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