This Day In Music History: Gogi Grant and The Wayward Wind

This day in music history, June 16, 1956, the #1 song in the country was “The Wayward Wind” by Gogi Grant. Gogi was born Audrey Arinsberg on September 20, 1924 in Philadelphia. Her family moved to Los Angeles when she was 12. She always loved singing but never thought of it as a career. She was thinking of being a teacher or a commercial artist. All that changed when she entered a local talent contest at the Macambo nightclub. The orchestra leader at the club introduced her to a voice coach. Later she made a demo tape of the song “I’m Yours” at the Gold Star recording studio. Stan Ross was the studio owner and he set up an interview for her with a talent agent for MCA. However, the agent and Gogi agreed that she was not ready. A few days later Mr. Ross told Gogi that MCA wanted her. She left behind her demo and when the head of the music department returned from vacation he heard it and gave orders to “Find that voice.” It seems that she didn’t mean to leave it behind and they didn’t know who it was for three days.
Through MCA she signed with RCA records but none of her songs charted. Then Dave Kapp left RCA and started his own company. He was able to sign Gogi to a label called Era Records run by Herb Newman. During all of this Gogi had gone by her married name of Audrey Brown. Later her manager had her change her name to Audrey Grant. Later Dave Kapp had her change her first name to Gogi. He said that it came to him in a dream but some people doubt that is true. You see Kapp ate lunch at Gogi’s La Rue and some think that is where her name came from.
Some writers met with Gogi and showed her a song that was selected for her and played other songs that they had written. One of them was “Suddenly There’s a Valley.” She told them she liked it and wanted to record it. They were surprised as they thought it was more for a male voice. They let her record it and Gogi went on tour to promote the song. By the time she got to her first city on the tour there were 5 covers of the song. She said “If I hadn’t gone on that publicity trip, I would have lost that record.” It charted at #9. The follow up to that record was “Who Are We.” While recording it Herb Newman showed her a song he wrote in school with Stan Lebousky. They also thought it would be a good song for a man to sing. But, with some changes in the lyrics made, Gogi Grant recorded “The Wayward Wind” in the last 15 minutes of her recording session. “Who Are We” only reached #62 but “The Wayward Wind” went all the way to #1.

Troubles with Rhino

Kent of The60sshop@aol.com saw the post on the trouble I had with ordering from Rhino's site on the new Monkees CDs and sent me an e-mail. He gave me premission to post it so I will with only some minor editing. Thanks Kent.

Hi Rick!

Saw your post about problems ordering from the RHINO Website. I've had the exact same problem trying to place orders for my last four or five purchases dating back to well over a year now. It NEVER seems to be working properly!!! And then when you call, the "customer service" person almost seems to have a snotty, sarcastic attitude about it. (I cannot help but wonder how the REAL powers that be would feel about how many potential orders they're losing due to this problem ... in three cases, I simply went and purchased the product somewhere else instead!!! With the "bonus" MONKEES single, I didn't have that option so I just went ahead and dealt with the customer-servicely-challenged on the phone! (lol) I addressed this problem recently in FH, too ... it's a REAL shame because (as we all know) RHINO has done an INCREDIBLE job of making this great music available to us ... yet how do you get to the RIGHT people to make them aware of the problem???

Thanks Kent. If you had trouble ordering from Rhino any of their items we need to send mass e-mails to customer service and mass calls to them. Perhaps this will get their attention. If that doesn't work then we need to find out who is at the top of Rhino these days and write to them directly. As Kent said how many orders did they miss from those not persistant enough to get the items they wanted? How many went to another internet site or a local store where they had to pay a little more for friendly service? The gentleman I delt with was very business like but not real friendly. Let Rhino know how you feel.

Silver Surfer Coin

It seems that the Government put an ad on the back of some new quarters for the movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. It was released without the premission of the US Mint as they do not allow advertising on money. They didn't let most of the quarters out but some did and made there way to e-bay. You can get this one if you click here.

Another way to order the new Monkees Single

If you saw my last posting on pre-ordering the new editions of Headquarters and PAC&J LTD. to get the new single "I Didn't Know You Had it in You Sally" you may have had trouble ordering on the internet. I did as I kept getting a security certificate violation. I e-mailed Rhino's customer service and asked them why I was having this problem. The response I got back was that I should try again and if I still had a problem I should call them. I tired again but still could not place the order. So I called (888) 440-4232 as their e-mail suggested. It was there I had no problem placing the order. Just an FYI to all Monkees fans.

New Monkees Single

This just in from The Monkees Home Page and Rhino.com. On July 10th Rhino is releasing double editions of mono and stero versions that Rhino have been remastered and a new Monkees single that was finished in 1969 but never released. Here is what The newsletter from The monkees home page had to say.
HEADQUARTERS:Presented in both original mono and stereo mixes, this landmarkrecording has been newly mastered. In particular, the stereo mix issourced from a different tape than the 1995 Rhino CD. As for thebonus tracks, they hail from a variety of sources. Let's run themdown and explain.Disc One:"All Of Your Toys" (stereo remix) ­ this is a newly created stereomix compiled by resynching the various stages of the production multitracks. This resynching allowed for greater separation of theinstruments in the mix and fuller fidelity."The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (version one, stereo remix) ­ The MichaelNesmith sung recording of this song appears on this collection forthe first time in stereo. This new mix was achieved by resynchingvarious stages of the production multi tracks allowing for adifferent and longer mix."A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (stereo remix) ­ This is perhapsthe first complete stereo mix of this track that has ever appeared.Previous stereo mixes lacked the final overdubs heard on the single.They're all here in wide stereo and superior fidelity."She Hangs Out" (single version ­ stereo remix) ­ The legendarywithdrawn version of this song appears on this collection for thefirst time in stereo! Listen out for some extra studio chat and acool vocal ad lib at the end from Davy and Jeff Barry."Love To Love" (stereo remix) ­ This fresh remix of "Love To Love"features a better representation of what appeared on the originalmono mix."You Can't Tie A Mustang Down" (stereo remix) ­ This remix featuressome previously unheard vocal work from Davy and appears in fullfidelity stereo."If I Learned To Play The Violin" (stereo remix) ­ All the elementsof this track were resynched for a first time true stereo mix with alonger fade."99 Pounds" (stereo remix) ­ A first time true stereo mix for thisChanges album track!"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (single version ­ stereo remix) - This isa newly created stereo mix compiled by resynching the various stagesof the production multi tracks. This resynching allowed for greaterseparation of the instruments in the mix and fuller fidelity, as wellas a nice long fade."Randy Scouse Git" ­ This is one of the alternate takes thatpreviously appeared on the Headquarters Sessions set."Tema Dei Monkees" ­ A new stereo mix of the raw multi-track. Youhear every last little bit of Italian that Micky muttered at theMarch 1967 session.Disc Two:"All Of Your Toys" (mono mix) ­ This is the original mono mix made inearly 1967 for the aborted single release of "Toys." Note that thismix lacks some of the final overdubs that are heard on Disc One'sstereo remix."The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (version one, mono mix) ­ This newlydiscovered original Mike sung mono mix from 1967 is previouslyunissued."A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (mono single mix) ­ Forty yearsafter it was first issued, "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"appears for the first time on CD in it's original hit single mono mix!"She Hangs Out" (mono single mix) ­ The legendary withdrawn versionin its original mono mix from 1967 (with a bit of pre-song warm-up)."The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (mono single mix) ­ The original mono hitsingle version!"Nine Times Blue" (demo) ­ Nesmith's '67 solo demo newly mixed andmastered."She'll Be There" & "Midnight Train" (demo) ­ newly mixed in stereo."Peter Gunn's Gun" - A vintage Headquarters jam, newly mixed."Jericho" & "Pillow Time" (demo) ­ both appear as heard on the rareHeadquarters sessions set.PISCES, AQUARIUS, CAPRICORN & JONES, LTD.Presented in both mono and stereo mixes, this landmark recording hasbeen newly mastered. In particular, the stereo mix is sourced fromthe first generation original stereo master mixes. Also of note, themono mix has never appeared in full on CD. As for the bonus tracks,they hail from a variety of sources. Let's run them down and explain.Disc One:"Goin' Down" ­ the original stereo mix from 1967."Salesman" ­ a new stereo mix featuring a longer fade, Nez'scigarette rolling rap, plus some previously unheard chat and vocals."She Hangs Out" ­ a new stereo mix of the four track master prior tothe addition of Shorty Rogers' brass arrangement. Features a longerintro, a longer outro and other anomalies."Love Is Only Sleeping" ­ a new mix of the version that appeared onthe '95 CD with some extra studio chat."What Am I Doing Hangin' `Round?" ­ features a never before heardlead vocal performance from Michael Nesmith (and a longer ending)."Star Collector" - a new stereo mix of the four-track master prior tothe addition of the Moog synthesizer overdubs. Features a longerintro, a longer outro and other anomalies ­ this is the longestversion ever!"Riu Chiu" ­ the original television recording featuring all fourMonkees on vocals appears here for the first time on CD.DISC TWO:"Special Announcement," "Salesman" (alternate mix), "Cuddly Toy"(alternate mix) ­ these tracks are the original 1967 mixes as theywere set to appear on an early line-up of the album. By programmingyour CD player, you can recreate the original sequence for theoriginal sequence."Goin' Down" ­ the original hit single mix (albeit with a longerfade)."The Door Into Summer" (alternate mix) ­ the previously issuedalternate mono mix from 1967 featuring a different vocal performancefrom Nesmith."Daily Nightly" ­ a previously unissued mono mix of this song lackingMicky's Moog synthesizer overdubs."Star Collector" ­ a previously unissued long mono mix of this songfeaturing Moog aplenty!And what about the single?If you buy both CD's from monkees.com or rhino.com you get a free 7-inch vinyl single (a limited edition of 2500) of two unissuedtracks. "I Didn't Know You Had It In You Sally" was taped for thegroup in February '67, but Micky didn't lay his vocal on the tracktill '69. The flipside is an alternate mix of "Daydream Believer"before the addition of brass and strings. It features a cool extendedending. The single comes in an old-fashioned picture sleeve that issure to delight.
So order now. You can go directly to the page to order them if you click here.

Monkees Documentary Part 4

Monkees Part 4 Documentary.

Monkee Documentary Part 3

Here is Part 3 of the Monkees Documentary.