I had a very pleasant weekend and we had two guest musicians staying at our house, Scott Cardell and Jeremy Bynum. They are friends of my son Daniel. It turns out they asked Clarence (Collins) and I to hear some of their material. Man, they were good and I was surprised. 

Their music was out of the norm of the style we are used to. That didn’t matter because when you’ve been around for 50 years and experience countless good and bad talent, you know when it grabs you. I worked with Scott before back in ’97- ’98 so, I was sort of aware of his talent. He has grown musically since our first venture a couple of years ago. It was so refreshing to hear how they blended together.

I decided to work with them in the near future because not only were they talented but their hearts were in it. You can learn something for young people and combining my singing with their music, it’s worth doing at age. 

HERE WE GO AGAIN STIMULUS

What can a voter do to get the candidate they voted for to do the right thing? Take for instance, the Stimulus Package. Look, something has to be done to help the economy but this “pork-laden bill” isn’t it. For goodness sakes man, like the late Marvin Gaye in “What’s Goin’ On” said, “brother, brother, brother – there’s far too many of you dying – you know we’ve got to find a way.”

The Stimulus Package has been passed by the House and is now headed for the Senate. It is an absolute joke. You would think that at least 70% of a package like this should be for “stimulating the economy”. At the least, then, it would be a somewhat on target. But this bill is “70% pork and here we go again”, not learning from our history, which means we are condemned to repeat it. We can’t afford it in more ways than just “dollars and (common) sense”. 

FDR, as the President of the United States, trying to get the country out of the Great Depression tried a similar plan. Work programs were created but their misguided intention resulted in something the complete opposite – “Dust Bowl” blight. It didn’t rain until the onslaught of World War II. The things were in motion but not working to their expectations. It got worse. It was the war-time economy that brought the US out of the Depression and the work projects flourished thereafter as well. Throwing money at the economy wasn’t the full remedy needed then. It was a one-of-the-kind economic virus that was eating our country away.

FDR was forced to raise taxes to cover the country’s losses in revenue. We were a “hindered country” still in need of help. I think we can learn from the errors made then. The Senate and President Obama have their hands full but this first shot at “Stimulus” isn’t a bulls-eye or even on target. Trim the “pork” brother and we have a chance but everyone involved wants their cut of the take for their states. We Americans know this is business as usual in our government but now, this time it can’t be “pork barrel thinking” driving the rig. If so, we are heaping money in with corporate and state-by-state greed that helped get us here to begin with. 

So instead of ‘here we go again’, let’s be smart about our new economy strategies. American know-how hasn’t died but it sure could use a shot of 21st century adrenaline now more than ever. No more paybacks. This has to be fair and stimulating.

ALL GIGS ARE GOOD BUT SOME ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS

Last weekend, we did a show at the Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts with our old friends, Johnny Tillotson and Jay And The Americans. It was sold out – every seat. I gotta tell you that the sound fidelity was outstanding and the staff and management of the venue were exceptional. 

We were treated first class all the way. The sound was something to marvel at and a top of the class production in every conceived way.  An artist looks at a gig like the Cerritos, CA. one and hopes for more. I want to thank the promoters and the venue for letting us perform there. 

All gigs are good especially with the economy the way it is. But the Cerritos Center was such a joy to do that I can’t wait to return there. Thank you for everything you did and you should know fellas, Little Anthony said so.

This Saturday, Feb. 7th, we are back to our old stomping grounds, the Jersey shore. We are headlining the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ. The promoter is a long-time friend of ours, Tommy Morgan. I know this show will be as good as the one in Cerritos, CA. Man this year is going to be special. I can see and feel it already.

After that, we are in Cleveland to do a special donation concert for the VA at the Rock Hall of Fame on the 13th and then, onto Tampa for a free concert with The Spinners at the Ford Amphitheater on Valentine’s Day. Remember our veterans this Valentine’s Day. We owe them so much for their sacrifices. Please remember the “hospitalized vets” as well since they continue to sacrifice even long after their “war tours are over”. I want to thank you veterans from the bottom of our hearts.

CBS SUNDAY MORNING INTERVIEW

We’ve been waiting for this interview with Jeff Greenfield to air since the end of last year. They are asking for vintage photos which we have a hard time getting. I think it will air in a month’s time finally, late February or early March. I understand the whole music feature chronicles NY rock with Little Anthony & The Imperials as the center of the network segment.

Odd as it sounds, Little Anthony & The Imperials did own our own photos –especially the early years. In those days, nobody had any idea “intellectual property” would now be a buzz word. It really had no meaning and because of that, we collected lots of keepsakes like a vintage posters -- some we are donating to the HOF. Do we have rights to early LA&TIs photos? No, we don’t and we are now working on correcting that.

I you have a vintage photo of us, send it on and maybe, you can help us chronicle on history – the early years of performing until now. Well, back to CBS Sunday Morning…… 

I think the interview with Jeff Greenfield should air within a month. We filmed it in Ft. Greene – Brooklyn during the summer 2008. Jeff knew his stuff about NY rock ‘n roll history. We set him straight on how Clarence and I feel about being classified only as “a doo wop act”. Little Anthony & The Imperials may have started there but we developed into the R&B group we are today. Then we talked about Teddy Randazzo, Don Costa, being teen sensations and now a 50th anniversary. It was before the Letterman “Hurt So Bad” performance and now our HOF induction. 

CBS-TV has always featured Little Anthony & The Imperials going back to Ed Sullivan. We were on his show 3 times. It was more than ironic to be back on the Ed Sullivan stage when we did the Letterman show. They say, 5 is a lucky number and it sure seems that way for us. 

Now with YouTube and streaming rebroadcasts of “Hurt So Bad”, we are having the time of our lives. The induction into the HOF then, took it to a level we have waited 10 years for. Being back on TV nationally of late, changed everything for me and the guys. 

We are looking forward to going back on Letterman some day. We’ll keep you posted…..

OUR SPRING DATE HARRAH’S - PA.

We are booked at Harrah’s in Pennsylvania April 18th, and we could not be more delighted. The casinos are home for us to perform in. The perfect stage for LA&TIs since our show is so responsive to the audiences, young and old alike.

But LA&TIs grew up in the casino theaters and when we are close to our audience, it’s always a little bit more magical onstage. We’ll have that magic at Harrah’s guaranteed. We always do when we perform at a Harrah’s casino. After awhile, you just know, 

Of course, the suburban casino did not exist in our early years. Instead we played retreats and summers in the Catskills. We were booked so much in the Catskills that I learned to speak Yiddish. Like they memories were made of this.

Ever wonder why we have an association with the “Dirty Dancing” film soundtrack? We did those dates for real. And you thought you knew everything about us, huh?