Scott Wynn
WYNN - COUNTRY MUSIC MEMORY LANE - Eddie Rabbitt
Lynda, a listener - asked me about the Urban Cowboy Movement, as I reference it here. Jean, UC did a lot for Country, but it went on too long. The music became "formatless" and unfocused for many Country fans, and that was not good at the end. But it did bring many people to us at first, that knew nothing of us, and that's good.
An artist that helped shape UC, was the incredible Eddie Rabbitt. Insanely gifted songwriter, singer, and performer. Rabbitt got Country Music noticed by many for simply recording good music, and from the late 1970's, he was heavily influential to our format. He wrote Kentucky Rain , a smash for Elvis (one of his Elvis' best songs), and Pure Love that launched the career of Ronnie Milsap, then his own with a list of big songs so long, they can't be listed fairly.
His style of music was a mix of Country, and pop that was just flat out good that made others want to be and sound like him. But, there was only one Eddie Rabbitt. He didn't invent Urban Cowboy, no one really did, but he was a huge force within it. The gift Eddie Rabbitt gave us outside of the music was acceptance. Everyone liked his music at that time.
What A Great Country Song - Early Big Success
Rabbitt would become a big Country star and have great success on the pop charts too. He was universally loved and recorded duets with big stars, and those love ballads were played on all kinds of radio stations. He would be in national advertising campaigns in TV commercials and shows. He was simply a big star, and not just a big country star. He wrote songs for the movies for Clint Eastwood, and did some acting later in his career.
Hit Songs Don't Get Much Bigger Than This
I always thought he was a sensational songwriter, and blessed with the gift of a unique voice that cut through. He was an interesting story too. I interviewed Eddie Rabbitt a few times and these stories are true according to him. First, he was a country singer from Brooklyn and then New Jersey (LOL rare enough) , and he dropped out of high school to play music. He wrote Pure Love while eating cereal (Captain Crunch), and he wrote Kentucky Rain in the bath tub when he was broke. He worked in a mental hospital, and won a talent contest as a teen that helped get him noticed. Many years later, he went back and finished high school. Eddie taught me in our interviews, that it all begins with the "song" there is no substitute for a good song. - Amen!
Interviewing Eddie - 1990 KLIK (The Big 950) Jefferson City, Missouri
After A Barrage Of Huge Hits, This Album - Kept The Momentum Going - Step By Step
He recorded hit after hit, Drivin' My LIfe Away, I Love A Rainy Night, I Can't Help Myself, Suspicions, and tons of others. He recorded slow songs, sad songs, party songs, driving songs, love songs, he could do it all. But I don't feel history has been overly kind to Eddie Rabbitt. When we think of that era, we think of Kenny Rogers, Dolly, Johnny Lee, Mickey Gilley, Ed Bruce, Don Williams, and many others and that's fine. But Eddie Rabbitt was the big, big star for a good long while that did something very unusual in that era of country. He wrote and sang all those songs in an era when there was a major separation between singers and songwriters. He was both. The difference was, he had the songs other singers wish they had.
Huge Hit!
Before the new traditionalists showed up in the mid 1980's Eddie Rabbitt was a major star that helped keep us going for many years. He sang and wrote 17 Number one songs, 34 top tens. He is worth an afternoon of YouTubing and downloading. If you are too young to remember, he is a great artist to learn a lot about. From my seat, there was a decade or so, where he was overall the best talent in Nashville, with his writing, singing, performing and immense popularity. He is one of the best songwriters in Country Music history.
Eddie Rabbitt Number One Songs
Eddie Rabbitt died in 1998 at 56 of lung cancer.
Other Memory Lane Articles - (ICYMI)
WYNN - THE BROWNS - Biggest Game In Years!
The Browns play their first game in about 2 weeks. For the sake of this article, let's assume the season starts on time and all is as well as can be during this whole situation.
The Browns open in Baltimore against the Ravens who don't care for us much. Their memories are long as they will not forget the beating we gave them last year in their yard. And they will be in a foul mood, because their incredible season ended way too soon, as many thought they may win the Super Bowl. I have no reason to think they will not throw us around the yard like Clive the Cook, slingin' hash on the grill at Rube's Diner! So, I'm thinking' 0-1 to start, nothing new there.
But four days later the Browns will play a Thursday night game, that is one of the most important games they will play in years! The Bengals come to town for a night game. The Browns will have to make a choice that night. Will they rise up and get a big win, go 1-1, get in the race, and show the country there is progress here? Or will they let an Ohio kid, Joe Burrow, a rookie QB come in here and have the night of his life and lead a team we usually beat twice a year to a big win? Sending the Browns 0-2, and getting the owner and the fans all fired up about firing people?
I have no idea who will win that game, but I know the Browns better no matter what. With a loss, there will be blame, shame, and a QB controversy at minimum. An 0-2 start will mean winning for a month nonstop to get up to mediocre, and that's the same old Browns. And if they happen to pull off a week one miracle, they could go 2-0, and not have that massive let down they are famous for. I love the Browns and I want them to be a winning franchise, but right now I have no reason to think they can win more than about 6 games. Please prove me wrong.
Win an opener and beat the Ravens again and get this thing going in the right direction would be nice. Stop making every game after game one a must win. That's what they do. Not much really ever changes there. Let's hope we don't make a star out of another rookie QB. Last year remember, Kyler Murray, Brandon Allen, and Duck Hodges? Yeah, me too. And none of them can do Joe Burrow's laundry. Let's hope for new things this year, in the meantime, prepare for one the most important games in years for the Browns.
Duck Hodges.....WTH??
WYNN - Clev And Cleve - In The End, Didn't Mix
Yesterday the Tribe traded troubled pitcher Mike Clevinger to the San Diego Padres for about 6 prospects. The trade is another, "wait and see" trade the Tribe is famous for. Today, it's disappointing, but in two years it may be a great one. I think we were all hoping for someone to help us right now, but that's not the way they roll.
But what is interesting is this. Is Clevinger the first major league trading casualty of the the pandemic? Seems so. He violated the team quarantine rules in Chicago, went out, seemingly lied about it, and lost the respect of his team. He did put them in jeopardy, there is no real question about that, and he had to go as the players didn't want him here. And now he, and his silly signature surfer stringy locks, will be on the beaches hangin' ten between starts, or secret nights out.
Mike Clevinger has a great all time record at 49-22, and his ERA is terrific. And he has been one of the best pitchers in the American League, the Major League, The Justice League, heck, any league. But he proved to not to be in the other players league when he lied, and put himself over the team. And that is a fatal flaw, even at this high level. So he's on his way, and I feel this.
He has great stuff and right now is a fine pitcher. But there are a few things with him I have never been comfortable with. One, his violent off balance motion, is not conducive for a long term run in the Major Leagues. He does not really field his position well with his follow through. He is hurt more and more each year, and now his judgment is in question. I feel that even though he has 49 career wins, I don't think he will win 100 in his career. The Padres will benefit right now, and he will help them. But in couple years, they may wish the had their prospects back. But they made the right move here, as bad baseball has been the rule in San Diego for generations.
Even though as a fan, I am sad we didn't get a big player in this deal, I try to remember this. The Tribe has won more games in the American League than any other team since 2013. There have been playoffs, a World Series, and lots of great baseball. They got it right with Corey Kluber who pitched his best years with us and is now hurt again in Texas, as he was here much of his last two seasons. And I think they will get it right with Clevinger.
You can criticize them for many things, and casual fans do, but this is what they do better than anyone. We got Kluber for a song, and Clevinger too, also Carlos Santana, and they have drafted and developed the best pitching staff in the entire major leagues. And the truth is, the Tribe gets this stuff right almost every time. They may lose out to big money sometimes, but no one does THIS stuff better than us. Good move, move on.
Go Tribe.
WYNN - LOCAL EATS - ICYMI Some GREAT Places To Eat!
For the past few months, I have written about some really great local places to eat. In times like these, and anytime really, t is great to support LOCAL EATERIES! In case you missed some of these, here are some I have written about and maybe you'll find a new favorite!
As always, thanks for reading!
WYNN - ICYMI - Remembering Great Country Bands!
For a few months I've written articles entitled Country Music Memory Lane on Thursdays. In each one I feature a Country star from years ago. I wanted to do this for a few reasons. One -It's fun to look back on what I remember from my seat behind the mic in 41 years so far in Country Radio. And Two, I think it helps fans find out how we got here, to the best 35 plus year run in Country Music history. At least it is from the numbers side, sales, concert tickets, overall exposure and Country Radio popularity.
All of this didn't happen overnight, it took time. And for those of you born into the Country boom, maybe you can discover some artists you didn't know and expand your playlists on your phone. And for those who were there, it's fun to look back and think of songs and stars you haven't thought about in years!
This week, we will chronicle some of the great bands from my Memory Lane articles. There will be many more, but here are the ones we've talked about so far. We honor their incredible contribution to Country Music. Thanks for checking these out!
My goal too, is to remember the intangibles that they brought to the format that is outside the music as I remember it, because I think every star does.
And as always, thanks for listening!
WYNN - Do You Have This?
Good Morning!
Real short and sweet today - Here is today's "Phobia Of The Day"
Do you have this?
That is all, Carry on!
WYNN - Wynn At The Movies And Info!
Wynn's Weekend Watch - (1996) The Nutty Professor with Eddy Murphy (Worth another watch, since there is very little new to view)
The Nutty Professor - Is getting another remake of the 1963 original (Trailer Below) – no other details yet (Story)
Ben Affleck - Will return as Batman for The Flash movie. (Story)
Tenet – Opens This Weekend!
Bill And Ted - Opens this weekend!
McCauley Culkin - Turns 40 this week! (Story)
This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane (Story- Suzy Bogguss)
WYNN - LOCAL EATS - Bob's Hamburg
We made the trek to Bob's Hamburg in Akron on Saturday before we went to see the B-17 Bomber at CAK. Windy and I LOVE joints like this, and we are always trying to find new ones to go to. Bob's has been there in this quiet Akron neighborhood since 1931. That is almost unbelievable! 89 years!
The food is simply fantastic! It was our first run there, so I went basic, and asked what was their best seller was, and when said the double cheeseburger! I said, "YES!" It was sensational. Stacked high, with everything you want on a big cheese burger. I was sad when it was gone! Windy went with the Frank's Fired Up Burger, and it looked great. She said it was zippy hot and delicious.
We also had fries, legit onion rings, and some breaded, deep fried mushrooms. (We were doing research LOL) Plus, we ate in our car as they have carhop service. Double fun!
Look At That Burger - AND THOSE RINGS!!
As we looked on their menu, they serve all kinds of food, even some dinner entrees. But, I will tell you, the food we had was delish, and we will be back soon. I will not be able NOT to stop there from time to time.
Bob's Menu
Think about how long this place has been there, and has made it all these years. Started in the Depression, and through WWII, and way before McDonald's, or any other big chain. And it's still there, and still great! It is so good to see a small place like this do so well. You don't survive that long and not be delicious!
If you've never been there, step into a little bit of Akron history and eat at Bob's Burgers! Just great!
WYNN - LOCAL COOLNESS - B-17 In Akron
Last weekend the famed "Sentimental Journey" B-17 WWII bomber was in town at CAK and it was quite a thing to see. Windy and I went out Saturday to see, and tour the inside of the 79 year-old beauty and I am so glad we did. We love doing things like this. And this magnificent aircraft is lovingly maintained by good people at the Commemorative Air Force.
It isn't often you can walk inside and actually touch history, but you could here. We walked through the fabled fuselage and traveled through time together. You could really get a sense of what these guys went through, and you did wonder how they did it. Such quarters under incredible fire, and very cold temperatures. It was eye opening. There are about 40 B-17's left in the world, but only 9 still fly. I think that number is actually up. I believe at one time only about 4 were able to fly.
If you went and saw it, congrats, and if you didn't make sure the next time it shows up, put it on your list of cool things to do. ALSO, if you love old war birds, stop and and see the great folks at he MAPS Air Museum when it's open, they have a nice collection there as well. We are lucky to have MAPS here locally!
WYNN - ICYMI - Who Saved Country Music?
A few weeks ago, I wrote a 2-part article on Who Saved Country Music. Many artists have been a big part of this terrific 30 plus year run of unmatched popularity of our format. But this article focused on the turning point of Country that changed things dramatically, and for the good!
In case you missed it, here are both parts of the article I wrote, as I remember it from behind the mic in morning show control rooms around the country.
Thanks for reading!
Who Saved Country Music - Part 1
Who Saved Country Music - Part 2