HURRICANES SOMETIMES CAN BE AVOIDED 

The Imperials and I just returned the other day from two sold out concerts in Florida. The first show was at the Ruth Eckerd Hall which is located in the greater Clearwater/Tampa area and it is considered to be, by most show biz performers, to be one of the most prestigious venues you can headline. The following day, we were at another prestigious concert hall, the Broward Center For The Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale. Both of these venues have the reputation of headlining the finest recording and performing artists in the country.  

Now, you would think that I should have been delighted but flying into Florida from Vegas, I was bummed man. Like I mentioned in a couple of previous columns, we were stuck headlining two “Doo Wop shows”. You might say, how could this happen? In a word, money and we have worked with the promoter before so we were lending a helping hand. She needed a headline act and we have a history at drawing an audience at these venues many times before.  

As we were in the midst of 2008, the economy affected us and collectively we decided to accept “Doo Wop” shows in 2009 to protect ourselves just in case. It was bittersweet or better yet, sweet-tart. The “bitter part” was we had also decided that “Doo Wop shows” were limiting us in more ways than one. That’s why we announced that after the 2009 season we would no longer perform on any “Doo Wop Reunion concerts”.  

As we landed in Florida, I thought we’ll do these shows and maybe a couple of more and that will be the end of our “Doo Wop days”. You know, go on with the show – suck it up like the pros we are and soldier on. The first thing we discovered was there weren’t any ads taken out for these shows. I did a couple of phone interviews though with Majik 102, the Palm Beach Post and the South Florida Sun Sentinel to support them outright. The next thing, we found out that over 85% of the tickets sold were because people were coming to see us. As you can see, it turned “sweet” then and there. 

After the shows it turned even “sweeter” when the General Manager and their Entertainment Director approached us after the Ruth Eckerd Hall show. They were so pleased with our performance that they first presented us with a “live picture” for us to autograph. Then, they said this picture was going to be added to their “Wall Of Fame” and that’s when I heard Jackie Gleason’s voice say, “how sweet it is”. It was Jackie’s catch phrase he used weekly when he had his show on CBS-TV. We were honored to say the least and you never get tired of being honored.  

The shows also gave us an opportunity to reunite with some of the groups that we have shared a stage with in years gone by. It was great to speak with some of the guys we started out with going back to the Brooklyn Paramount days. One of the guys was Ron of The Limelighters who unfortunately suffered a heart attack after these two dates and had to be hospitalized. Get well soon man.

As if it could not get any “sweeter”, the GM asked us to come back and do our own full show at both venues later in the year. He said their audiences wanted us back and if we could strike a deal, work with them exclusively. I was thrilled and thought here I was 48 hours ago thinking, soldier on and now, it just couldn’t be better.  

Our PR guy, George Dassinger remarked that it is a known fact that out of some the worst tragedies, some of the greatest benefits happen. What I thought was a bad situation turned out to be better than good. I expected a Florida hurricane and wound up taking home a rainbow. Like they say in the commercials for the New York Lottery, “you never know”. 

OH WHERE, OH WHERE CAN OPRAH BE? 

They say you can take the guy out of New York but you can’t take New York out of the guy. That’s me man. I love living here in Vegas but I still love New York. To pacify my craving for New York, I have the New York Post delivered to my home daily. This way, I have the best of both worlds: New York and Las Vegas.  

I was reading an article in the Post saying Oprah was going to do a show concerning the whole “Rihanna – Chris Brown mess”. A relationship like theirs is not a new thing and unfortunately, it’s been around for a long time. How can a woman be beaten and still want to return to the same problem? You are just setting yourself up for another beating either physically or emotionally and it reinforces all the wrong messages.  

Well, look at it this way - some women think that if they do things just a bit different in their relationship, things would be better. That is one of the roots of the problem. In many cases, “the other root” is not the victim. Rather, it is the story of the person who perpetuates the violent act and that’s “the core problem”. The person who does the beating or the abuse often turns out to be a “beaten person” themselves or they were witness to that kind of violent behavior, perhaps by their parents/siblings – it continues. 

Someone once said that this kind of insanity done over and over again is an example of someone looking for different results. Maybe they want to undo the violence. They only fall prey to it again but now, it is “them performing the beating”. I would love to discuss this with Oprah and add my two cents. We hear outcries of “stop the violence” and often, those who are committing these violent acts, justify their actions or they are covered up. To make matters worse, stepping back in a relationship like this is a recipe for disaster.  

In closing, Rihanna, “you better think twice”, as the old Poco song says. “Oprah, can you hear me? Oprah. Oprah”. I had to borrow that from The Who’s “Tommy” in case it sounded familiar.  

Dr. King once said, “non-violence is a powerful and just weapon, It is a weapon unique in history, which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” Chris Brown should take that advice under consideration. ‘Nuff said. 

DAVID FOSTER’S PBS SPECIAL – BRAVO TO THE HIT MAN 

In case you haven’t seen the “David Foster & Friends” PBS special, do yourself a favor and watch it. What a concert and what a TV special. Man, he nails it and it also helps to have talented singers like Josh Groban, Seal and Babyface Edmunds (to name a few) with you onstage. It first aired last November and is now in PBS rotation.  

If The Imperials and I could do a concert like that, I would be in 7^th heaven. This concert is true show biz at its best and I have now watched it two or three times and I just can’t get enough. I believe that David Foster is also doing live concerts this year in much the same way this TV concert was filmed. 

I’m sure it will be repeated as only PBS TV can do and I believe you will be thoroughly entertained by Foster and friends. Even with the PBS commercial breaks to solicit donations, Foster and friends will glue you to the set -- hit song by hit song. Bravo to David Foster – The Hit Man.