100TH WEEK SPECIALS
A Milestone Reached as Summer Semester 2008 Kickoff
During the week ending May 17, 2008, War Eagle '70s reached its 100th week of shows with two special programs to kick off summer semester 2008. The Wednesday morning Extra on May 14 presented an entire hour of all 1970s music from acts born in Alabama or related to Alabama (the All Alabama Music Salutes Special). The Friday night Weekend Show presented a four-hour special- Mr. Herb's 50 Favorite Hits from the 1970s. Additionally, the Weekend special debuted the show's newest feature- The War Eagle '70s Hall of Fame.
ALL ALABAMA MUSIC HOUR
The music featured came from acts who have roots in Alabama or have a related to the Heart of Dixie. For example, "Sweet Home Alabama" serves as an unofficial state song, though the group that made it famous (Lynyrd Skynyrd) is originally from Jacksonville, Florida. Other hits are by natives of Montgomery, Prattville, Hanceville, Mobile, Monroeville and other Alabama cities and towns. One is by a group formed at Tuskegee University (The Commodores). Others are by an Auburn graduate (Toni Tennille, Class of 1962) and a former Auburn student (Jimmy Buffett).
MR. HERB'S 50 FAVORITES OF THE 1970S
As a person who grew up in and experienced life in the 1970s, one who graduated from high school and entered college/university in 1979 and one who loves a lot of 1970s people, places and things, the host/producer had a very difficult time narrowing down his favorite 1970s hits into 50 that he could live with. He likes a lot more hits from the 1970s than the ones listed below. So he had to draw from paper strips three times to come up with this list of the ones he likes slightly more than the others (at least enough to make the final cut).
List of hits presented during ALL ALABAMA MUSIC HOUR
Brick House-The Commodores 1977 (from Tuskegee University. This was one of two classic hits from their self-titled album.)
Sylvia's Mother-Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show 1972 (Dr. Hook is Ray Sawyer from Monroeville. This was his band's breakthrough hit.)
Angel in Your Arms-Hot 1977 (the claim to fame by an African American lady, a Caucasian American lady and a Mexican American lady from Los Angeles, recorded at the F.A.M.E. studios in Florence)
Love Will Keep Us Together-The Captain and Tennille 1975 (This was Billboard's #1 single of 1975, co-written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. Montgomery native Toni Tennille performed with the Auburn Knights Orchestra while an Auburn student. She graduated in 1962. She married her husband "The Captain" Daryl Dragon on Valentines' Day 1974. They are still married and now live in Nevada.)
Street Corner Serenade-Wet Willie 1978 (the group from Mobile led by Jimmy, Jerry and Donna Hall)
Don't Knock My Love-Wilson Pickett 1971 (the late soul superstar from Montgomery who first became famous for hits like "Funky Broadway" and "Mustang Sally")
Patches-Clarence Carter 1970 (the autobiographical sketch by the blind man from Montgomery who has been "Strokin'" to his own fame and has decided not to "Slip Away" by performing on a lot of concerts seen during Alabama Public Television pledge drives)
Young Hearts Run Free-Candi Staton 1976 (the biggest hit by the evangelist born in Hanceville who was once married to Mr. Carter. One of her other hits was featured on "Sex and the City." She released a secular CD My Hands in 2006.)
Gotta Serve Somebody-Bob Dylan 1979 (The famed rock and folk poet from Hibbing MN recorded this as the first track from his album Slow Train Coming, which was released as he professed to have become a born-again Christian. The album was one of the many recordings from the Muscle Shoals Studios.)
Easy Loving-Freddie Hart 1971 (Billboard's #1 country single of 1971 and the only Billboard Top 40 hit by the Loachapoka native, who was given the honorary keys to Phenix City in 2006)
Come Sail Away-Styx 1977-1978 (Tommy Shaw, the Montgomery native and lead guitarist for the Chicago-based Styx, was one of several inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame during spring semester 2008.)
Keep on Truckin' (Part 1)-Eddie Kendricks 1973 (The late lead singer for the Temptations had roots in Bullock County. This was his first big solo hit after leaving the Temptations.)
Margaritaville-Jimmy Buffett 1977 (The Mobile native and former Auburn student is mostly famous for this classic, from his album Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes. He recently appeared on the WGN-TV special on its relationship with the Chicago Cubs, "Cubs Forever." His new book Swine Not? has been in bookstores since May 13.)
List of MR. HERB'S 50 FAVORITE 1970s HITS
2. We Are Family-Sister Sledge 1979
3. ABC-The Jackson Five 1970
4. I'll Take You There-The Staple Singers 1972
5. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)-The Temptations 1971
6. America the Beautiful-Ray Charles 1972
7. Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now-McFadden and Whitehead 1979
8. Half Breed-Cher 1973
9. Stayin' Alive-The Bee Gees 1978
10. Best of My Love-The Emotions 1977
11. Superstition-Stevie Wonder 1972-1973
12. You're No Good-Linda Ronstadt 1975
13. Silly Love Songs-Paul McCartney and Wings 1976
14. My Sharona-The Knack 1979
15. Theme from "Shaft"-Issac Hayes 1971
16. Magic Man-Heart 1976
17. Bridge Over Troubled Water-Simon and Garfunkel 1970
18. T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia)-M.F.S.B. featuring the Three Degrees 1974
19. Dancing Queen-ABBA 1977
20. Let's Stay Together-The Reverend Al Green 1971-1972
21. Disco Inferno-The Trammps 1977-1978
22. Philadelphia Freedom-The Elton John Band 1975
23. Miss You-The Rolling Stones 1978
24. Family Affair-Sly and The Family Stone 1971-1972
25. Play That Funky Music-Wild Cherry 1976
26. Good Times-Chic 1979
27. Don't Stop-Fleetwood Mac 1977
28. I Am Woman-Helen Reddy 1972-1973
29. Evil Ways-Santana 1970
30. You Make Me Feel Brand New-The Stylistics 1974
31. Put Your Hand in The Hand-Ocean 1971
32. Why Can't We Be Friends?-War 1975
33. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough-Michael Jackson 1979
34. Convoy-C.W. McCall 1975-1976
35. The Payback (Part 1)-James Brown 1974
36. Joy to the World-Three Dog Night 1971
37. You're So Vain-Carly Simon 1973
38. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions-Queen 1977-1978
39. American Pie-Don McLean 1971-1972
40. Car Wash-Rose Royce 1976-1977
41. Ain't No Mountain High Enough-Diana Ross 1970
42. Night Moves-Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band 1977
43. What's Going On?-Marvin Gaye 1971
44. The South's Gonna Do It Again-The Charlie Daniels Band 1975
45. Rock Lobster-The B-52s 1979
46. Burning Love-Elvis Presley 1972
47. Midnight Train to Georgia-Gladys Knight and The Pips 1973
48. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue-Crystal Gayle 1977-1978
49. Stairway to Heaven-Led Zeppelin 1971
50. Boogie Wonderland-Earth, Wind and Fire with The Emotions 1979
Those listed in bold hit #1 on the Billboard Top 40/Hot 100, R&B and/or country charts. Those listed in italics are singles that came from albums that hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album charts.
Debut of WAR EAGLE '70s HALL OF FAME
During the 100th Week Specials, inductions of three charter members were made by the authority vested in the host/producer by W.E.G.L. 91.1 management and staff, the Auburn University Board of Trustees (the license holders for W.E.G.L. 91.1) and the Federal Communications Commission (which allows W.E.G.L. 91.1 to operate). Additionally, the Herbert Walter Denmark Jr. Institute for Advanced Liberal and Moderate Studies recommended these sets of charter inductees.
The Denmark Family- Daddy, Mama, Sandra, Janice, Debbie and Beverly, along with niece Jessica Nicole (Nikki), nephews Roosevelt (Buddy), Lance and Carlos, plus a new niece or nephew that will come into the world as my baby sister Beverly and my new brother-in-law Gary Johnson in Gainesville GA become parents for the first time during fall semester. Additionally, the Hall of Fame inducted several uncles and aunties, including Uncles Rob, Leroy and Morris, Aunties Sarah, Ruby and Isabel, Earline, Lorraine, cousins Gladys, Sonya, Poochie and John-John. In memoriam, Grandpa, Grandmama, Great Grandmama, Aunties Mamie and Maybelle and others were inducted. The family all goes back to roots in places like Darien GA, Savannah GA and England (where an ancestor was an indentured servant) and of course, Africa. Too many to name!!! But what a great family that the host/producer is in.
The second charter inductee served as President of Auburn University during the 1970s and who died recently- Dr. Harry M. Philpott. During his presidency from 1965 until 1980, he led a then-unpredecented period of growth for Auburn University. He strengthened the liberal arts curriculum, changed the R.O.T.C. from a requirement to an elective, increased the number of study fields from 63 to over 140 and awarded 56 percent of the degrees earned by Auburn graduates. Women were allowed to live off campus and had better opportunities for education because of the increased emphasis on liberal arts under Dr. Philpott while Auburn kept its land grant mission.
The third charter inductee is Mobile Tomlinville native/Baseball Hall of Famer/all time role model Henry Aaron. On the field, he is one of four players in Major League history to have 17 seasons of at least 150 hits. The 21-time All Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, one time National League M.V.P. still holds Major League career records in R.B.I.s, extra base hits and total bases. The Hank Aaron Award in the N.L. is named after him. Off the field, he is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, fundraiser along with his lovely wife Mrs. Billye Williams Aaron for the United Negro College Fund, organizer of the Negro Little Leagues in Atlanta, longtime entrepreneur and longtime executive for the Atlanta Braves and T.B.S. Superstation. As director of player development, he was responsible for the development of Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Tom Glavine, Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann et al, and played a role in 14 straight division titles, four National League titles and one World Series title. Mr. Aaron has played an active role in increasing opportunities for minorities in and outside sports.
