Here are the results of the recent poll to find out which potential "Midnight Special" albums people would be most interested in.
ELO XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Faces XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Byrds / Roger McGuinn XXXXXXXXXXXX
Golden Earring XXXXXXXXXX
Guess Who XXXXXXXXXX
Randy Newman XXXXXXXXX
Todd Rundgren XXXXXXXXX
Leon Russell XXXXXXXX
Paul Williams XXXXXXXX
Bill Withers XXXXXXXX
Steve Miller Band XXXXXXX
Ray Charles XXXXXX
Bee Gees XXXXXX
Curtis Mayfield XXXXXX
B.B. King XXXXX
Jerry Lee Lewis XXXXX
Earth, Wind & Fire XXXXX
Bobby Womack XXXXX
Wilson Pickett XXXX
Billy Preston XXXX
Spinners XXXX
Ike & Tina Turner XXXX
Neil Sedaka XXXX
Linda Ronstadt XXXX
Hoyt Axton XXX
Joan Baez XXX
Blood, Sweat & Tears XXX
James Brown XXX
Canned Heat XXX
Fats Domino XXX
Dr. Hook XXX
Little Anthony & Imperials XXX
Ohio Players XXX
Rufus / Chaka Khan XXX
Pointer Sisters XXX
Chuck Berry XX
Jose Feliciano XX
Four Tops XX
Waylon Jennings XX
Edgar Winter Group XX
Seals & Crofts XX
Olivia Newton-John XX
Frankie Valli & 4 Seasons X
Barry White X
Stylistics X
Righteous Brothers X
Smokey Robinson X
Helen Reddy X
Paul Anka
Leo Sayer
Marty Robbins
Anne Murray
Mac Davis
Keep in mind that I'm not necessarily going to post all the albums from these musical acts above a certain cut off point, as I have done in earlier polls. I just did this to see where the demand was. For instance, the most surprising result of this poll for me was how high Paul Williams ended up. I thought he was considered very "uncool," like Paul Anka and Mac Davis, both of whom got zero votes. But Williams made it into the top ten. So I'll have to post an album by him, when I previously almost certainly wouldn't have. I was also particularly surprised how high Golden Earring ended up. And I was surprised by how few votes some acts got, especially Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and Smokey Robinson, both with just one vote.
To be honest, I really like this Midnight Special material, so I imagine I'll end up posting albums from the vast majority of these musical acts by and by. But I'll try to prioritize the ones that got the most votes sooner rather than later. Thanks again for your feedback.
Paul, thank you for posting all of this incredible music on your blog. I have been really enjoying all of the shows from the Midnight Special. Thanks for providing the listing of all the episodes. I have been watching them on YouTube. Although Ep 44 (The Midnight Special Episode broadcast on November 30, 1973) didn't show up in the poll, it is well worth checking it out. It appears that it was from a concert that was recorded on November 30, 1973, at the Rainbow Rooms in London, England. I do not know if this is the whole concert but it features Procol Harum, Humble Pie, Alvin Lee and Mylon LeFevre, and Steeleye Span. The Blackberries (who were amazing in their own right) sing backup with Humble Pie and Alvin Lee and Mylon LeFevre. Amazingly, Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi are also singing backup with Alvin Lee and Mylon LeFevre and Mike Patto from Spooky Tooth and Boz Burrell from King Crimson/Bad Company are playing in the band backing up Alvin Lee and Mylon LeFevre!
ReplyDeleteThere's stuff from the show that didn't make the poll that might still get turned into albums. For instance, Mike Solof just pointed out to me that Genesis and King Crimson played a couple songs each on the show in 1973. I'm thinking maybe if I find some more prog rock stuff like that, that might make up an album. I'll keep in mind that episode you mentioned. I didn't realize that was from a single concert.
DeleteI nearly voted for Leo Sayer, though as I already had ten, I didn't. Thank you for all the great work you do x
ReplyDeletePaul Williams? UNCOOL?
ReplyDeleteWilliams is responsible for writing some of the most identifiable songs of the 1970s that were recorded by some of the greatest acts of that era. Maybe that's the problem: he is known primarily as a songwriter. Perhaps it's his (aghast) best known "role" as Little Enos in "Smokey and the Bandit" or for writing the lyrics to the theme for "The Love Boat." He spent most of the '70s and '80s completely wasted but has now been sober for more than 35 years and is a certified drug rehabilitation counselor.
When you look at the broad range of work and achievements...Williams is anything but uncool. Even now, at age 85, he continues to write and appear in front of the camera. His role on "Goliath" with Billy Bob Thornton is a classic.
It's the "cool" ones that survive until age 85 and never stop trying.
Yes, Paul Williams uncool. I'm not saying he wasn't a talented songwriter. I already have made a Covered entry from him and Roger Nichols. But he was on lots of terrible 1970s TV shows and variety specials, and movies like "Beneath the Planet of the Apes." I think he's better known by the public for that than for his songwriting, unfortunately. Look at this photo I just randomly found of him and tell me that looks cool.
Deletehttps://popdiggers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/williamspaulbw2.jpg
But kudos for him for getting past all that and continuing to do productive things.