We Had A Shindig At The Hullabaloo!

Back in the ancient times of the 1960’s one of the few venues available for many people to actually see rock bands in addition to listening was television. In addition to the various variety shows that would occasionally feature a rock band, there were several shows in the 1960’s that spotlighted rock and roll pretty much exclusively.

While American Bandstand was on for some time since the 1950’s, it was basically a show that played records to audience members dancing with usually only one, sometimes two, guest performers/bands. For many of us, myself in particular, you couldn’t beat the Upbeat Show, produced by WEWS in Cleveland that was eventually syndicated all over the country.

Several national network shows turned up not long after Upbeat, the three most well-known were Shindig, Hullabaloo and Where The Action Is.

SHINDIG

Shindig debuted on September 16, 1964 on ABC and aired through January 8, 1966. It was produced by British television producer Jack Good and was broadcast on Wednesdays at 8:30. In July 1965 former Shindig director Dean Whitmore took over as producer.

In January 1965 the show went to one-hour episodes. Most of the performances were ‘live’, although there were some that were lip-synched or had pre-recorded backing tracks. On occasion, British bands appeared via video.

Shindig was hosted by Los Angeles disc-jockey Jimmy O’Neill. Also featured were the Shindig dancers, a troupe made up of 10 (or so) young women who performed choreographed dances. Shindig also had a group of performers who appeared on a semi-regular basis. These included The Righteous Brothers, Glen Campbell, Donna Loren and Bobby Sherman.

The series had a house band, the Shin-diggers/Shindogs featured a young Glen Campbell, Joey Cooper, Chuck Blackwell (drums), Billy Preston, James Burton, Delaney Bramlett, Larry Knechtel (on bass), Leon Russell (on piano), and Glen D. Hardin. Ray Pohlman was the show’s musical director and was also a member of the studio group that would be known as ‘The Wrecking Crew.

And like most all rock ‘n roll shows back then there was a group of show dancers who accompanied many of the artists who appeared. Dubbed the Shin-diggers, they were choreographed by David Winters. One of the regular dancers was Teri Garr. The Shin-diggers’ assistant choreographer, Antonia Basilotta (better known as Toni Basil), was most widely known for the 1980s song “Mickey”.

Among some of the bands and performers who appeared on Shindig were The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, The Who, The Hollies, Mariann Faithful, Dave Clark Five, Yardbirds, Moody Blues, Gloria Jones, Pretty Things, Grass Roots, Searchers, Turtles, The Toys, The Newbeats, Joe Tex, The McCoys, Billy Preston an many others.

During the second season the show was aired in two 30-minute shows that aired on Thursdays and Saturdays with weekly guest hosts.

By the end of 1965 Shindig’s popularity began to wane, often blamed on the ever growing population of rock ‘n roll shows. Another factor affecting Shindig’s ratings had to have been time-shifting by local affiliates. Many ABC affiliates chose not to air Shindig in its regular Thursday/Saturday 7:30pm time slot (opting for syndicated or locally produced programs). These stations usually moved Shindig to non-prime time hours.

The show’s eventual cancellation was due to the network’s mid-season reshuffle. Shindig was replaced by a new show, Batman. There are some shows that survive and almost 20 years ago Rhino Records released a dozen Shindig VHS tapes.

HULLABALOO

NBC’s contribution to the exploding rock ‘n roll and youth demographic was Hullabaloo, a series that boasted a bigger budget and the top bands and performers of the era. The show debuted on January 12, 1965 with it’s last broadcast on August 29, 1966. The show was directed by Steve Binder and each week he featured a different guest host. Many of them were mainstream older performers but the bands that were featured were among the top acts.

The series was a one-hour broadcast that aired from 8:30 – 9:30 PM on Tuesday evenings. In June 1965 the show was moved to 10:00 PM.

Hullabaloo’s debut got an extra publicity boost by featuring The Beatles manager Brian Epstein in segments he hosted that were taped in England. Epstein was prominently spotlighted and hyped in the first 13 episodes.

Hullabaloo also had a troupe of dancers, usually sporting go-go boots and mini-skirts, and choreographed by David Winters, who selected and choreographed the Hullabaloo Dancers. Two of the dancers, Michael Bennett and Donna McKechnie, went on to achieve success and fame on Broadway. Lada St. Edmund was best known as the caged “go-go girl” dancer in the “Hullabaloo A-Go-Go” segment near the closing sequence.

Lada St. Edmund

Among the top bands & performers who appeared on Hullabaloo were  The Zombies, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Diana Ross & the Supremes, Marianne Faithfull, Marvin Gaye, The Everly Brothers, The Kinks, The Beau Brummels, The Searchers,  The Moody Blues, Dusty Springfield, The Animals, Jay and the Americans, The Hollies, The Byrds, Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Gentrys, The Rolling Stones, Four Tops, The McCoys, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, The Outsiders, The Beatles (Taped Performance) and more.

In September the show was cut back to half hour status and aired on Monday at 7:30 PM until it was cancelled. The show that replaced it was The Monkees.

WHERE THE ACTION IS:

Famed television host & producer Dick Clark, already at the top of his game with American Bandstand, added a weekday show to his resume of productions and as another card on the rock ‘n roll television table. Where The Action Is aired nationally on ABC premiering on June 27, 1965 and was a black & white production that was filmed at various sunny locales throughout California, usually from beaches filled with teenagers and bikinis. Malibu Beach and Bear Mountain were most frequently utilized.

The show had semi-regulars, with Paul Revere & The Raiders chief among them, even as serving as de facto co-hosts and house band until midway through 1966, to be replaced by The Robbs. ABC eventually cancelled the show and it last aired on March 31, 1967.

A majority of the performances were lip synched, usually due to location and logistical issues, but some of the top bands and performers appeared in this Upbeat/American Bandstand hybrid.

Small Faces

Among the bands & performers who appeared were The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Music Machine, Johnny Rivers, The Supremes, Jan & Dean, The Zombies, Jackie DeShannon, The Shangri-Las, James Brown & The Famous Flames, Sonny & Cher, Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs, Sir Douglas Quintet, Jackie Wilson, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, The Kinks, Aretha Franklin, Donovan, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Ike & Tina Turner, The McCoys, Edwin Starr, Little Richard, Dusty Springfield, Gloria JonesSmokey Robinson & The Miracles, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, The Mamas & the Papas, The Yardbirds, Them, The Spencer Davis Group, The Who, The Outsiders, The Small Faces, The Spinners, The Cyrkle, Terry Knight and the Pack, The Left Banke, Buffalo Springfield and a couple dozen more.

Once ABC cancelled Where The Action Is and gave the time slot to local affiliates, Paul Revere and the Raiders along with lead vocalist Mark Lindsay hosted follow-up shows: Happening ’68, a Saturday afternoon follow-up to American Bandstand, and a weekday version of the same show, It’s Happening, from 1968 to 1969. Both shows were produced by Dick Clark Productions.

Terry Knight & The Pack

In 1973 and 1985, Where the Action Is returned to the air for two more very short series runs.

(c)2012 Doc Lehman/Bangagong!

2012 Blues ‘N Rock Fest Goes On Tour

What was previously known as Hippiefest, a touring concert package that appeared at various outdoor venues throughout the country, has now evolved into the Rock ‘N Blues Fest with the 2012 edition spotlighting five world-class performers who were first inspired by the blues. Headlining the 2012 Rock ‘N Blues Fest will be the legendary Johnny Winter along with performances by Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer, Kim Simmonds and Leslie West.
 
Collectively, these five titans of rock have culled 4 Grammy Awards, 10 Grammy Nominations, 14 Billboard-charting songs, 18 Billboard-charting albums, 10 Gold albums, and 4 Platinum albums. Johnny, Edgar, and Leslie all played the original Woodstock in August of 1969.
 
20 dates have been scheduled (more could be added!) with the tour kicking off on Sunday July 29 at Pantages Theater in Tacoma, Washington and ending on Friday August 31 at Country Club Hills Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
 
Personally, it’s my intention to make it to the Wednesday August 29 gig at the Fraze Pavillion in Kettering, OH.

I have a ton of memories of seeing all of them at various times, especially in the 1970’s. I think I’ve seen Johnny Winter three times, Edgar Winter three times, Rick Derringer eight times (once with Edgar Winter), Kim Simmonds/Savoy Brown & Moutain twice each.
 
“I think the blues will always be around,” says legendary blues guitarist Johnny Winter, who will be performing as part of the Johnny Winter Band. “People need it.”

As the story goes, at the age of 17, Johnny went to see B.B. King in his
home state of Texas, and requested a turn at the mic. King eventually gave
in and handed his guitar to Johnny, who ended up getting a standing ovation
for his performance.

 Johnny released his first solo album, The Progressive Blues Experiment, and
the music world took notice, leading to his historic performance at
Woodstock. Twenty years and several successful solo albums later, he was
inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. Named as one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, Johnny Winter still remains one of the top blues/rock guitarists touring today.

Joining Johnny for the Rock ‘N Blues Fest tour will be his younger brother,
Edgar Winter.

“As far as I’m concerned, blues and jazz are the great American contributions to music,” comments Edgar, who will be bringing the Edgar Winter Band along for the almost two-month trek.

A multi-instrumentalist (keyboards/sax/percussion) whose music encompasses many different genres including rock, blues, jazz and pop, Edgar first hit the national spotlight with his early recording of  Tobacco Road, featured on his 1970 debut album, Entrance. Edgar would soon form the band White Trash and release two hit albums in ’71 and ’72 titled, Edgar Winter’s White Trash and Roadwork.
 
Hot on the heels of the certified gold album, Roadwork, Edgar would put together an entirely new outfit called The Edgar Winter Group that would originally feature guitarist Ronnie Montrose. The band’s first effort, They Only Come Out at Night, would spawn both the hit singles, Free Ride and Frankenstein, and remain on the charts for an incredible 80 consecutive weeks.

 More recently, Edgar achieved chart success in 2003 with the song, Dying To Live featured as Runnin” (Dying to Live) in the film Tupac Resurrection as
the Eminem-produced song hit #5 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles
sales chart.

Next on the bill is rock guitarist Rick Derringer, who’s had an illustrious
career as both a solo artist and critical band member. Derringer was the lead guitarist and vocalist of The McCoys at age 16. Derringer is the creator of the
well-known rock anthem, Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo. The song continues to
be a staple on rock radio and was featured in several movies including The
Spirit of ’76, Rush, Stag, What A Girl Wants and the cult classic, Dazed and Confused.
 
Derringer has had a successful solo career and as a member of his own band, Derringer, Johnny Winter And the Edgar Winter Group.

 In 1977, he would appear on the last Led Zeppelin North American Tour. In the years to follow, Rick would perform with such artists as Alice Cooper, Steely Dan, KISS, Todd Rundgren and Weird Al Yankovic among others including both Johnny and Edgar Winter. From 1986 to 1992, Rick would tour with Cindy Lauper and co-write a song from her True Colors album titled, Calm Inside The Storm. Before embarking on last year’s Hippiefest tour, Rick toured Europe with Ringo Starr as a member of Ringo’s All-Starr Band.
 
Considered one of the architects of British blues, Kim Simmonds began performing professionally in London in the mid-60’s after learning how to play guitar by listening to his brother’s blues records as a teenager. As leader and founder of the legendary blues rock band, Savoy Brown, he has 49 album releases currently available and continues to tour all over the world with the band as well as a solo acoustic act.
 
In 1967, the band would help propel the UK blues boom movement that brought blues music back to the United States, invigorating the style forever. In the process, Savoy Brown became part of the framework that launched the rock and roll music of the 1970’s, with their vast influence stretching into modern rock as we know it today.

 In 2011, the band celebrated its 45th anniversary by releasing a new CD titled, Voodoo Moon. Later in the year, Kim would release his most recent effort, Out Of The Blue, a collection of varied material that placed him in a new setting as both singer and songwriter. Among the most loved, most respected and longest running of its genre, Savoy Brown is one of the magical names in blues rock. Kim Simmonds will be performing the best of the best at this year’s Rock’n’Blues Fest.

Although perhaps best known as a founding member of the band Mountain, guitarist Leslie West began his musical career with an R&B/Blue-eyed soul rock outfit called The Vagrants, who would quickly enjoy a few hits. Shortly after the formation of Mountain with bass guitarist/producer Felix Pappalardi, keyboardist Steve Knight and drummer N.D. Smart in 1969, the band would find themselves performing on day two of the legendary Woodstock festival in August of that year.
 
Not too long after the event, new drummer Corky Laing would join the fold and the band would release their first Billboard Top 40 single, Mississippi Queen. The rest is rock history as the song would be played on rock radio for years to come.

 Considered one of the pioneers of heavy metal, Rolling Stone magazine once identified them as a “louder version of Cream.” In the early seventies, Mountain would temporarily disband with Leslie and Corky collaborating with Creem bassist Jack Bruce for a cutting-edge group called West, Bruce and Laing. In 1976, West would play guitar for the track, Bo Diddley Jam on Diddley’s 20th Anniversary of Rock’n’Roll all-star album. In 2005, he contributed to Ozzy Osbourne’s Under Cover album, performing guitar on a remake of Mississippi Queen. The following year, he immersed himself in the blues, once again, with his latest solo album titled, Blue Me, on the Blues Bureau International label. Later that year (2006) he would be honored by being inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame. In addition to fronting Mountain, Leslie continues to record and perform on his own.
 
2012 Rock “N” Blues Fest Tour Schedule:
Sunday, July 29 – Pantages Theater in Tacoma, Washington (w/o Leslie West)
Wednesday, August 1 – The Winery in Saratoga, California
Friday, August 3 – Sam’s Woodsite in Mammoth Lakes, California
Saturday, August 4 – The Grove in Anaheim, California
Sunday, August 5 – The Palms Concert Theatre in Las Vegas, Nevada
Thursday, August 9 – Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, Massachusetts
Friday, August 10 – Newport Yachting Center in Newport, Rhode Island
Saturday, August 11 – Spy Class Ridge Winery in Sunbury, Pennsylvania
Sunday, August 12 – County Center in Westchester, New York
Tuesday, August 14 – Bergen Performing Arts Center in Bergen, New Jersey
Wednesday, August 15 – Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania
Thursday, August 16 – Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown, New Jersey 
Friday, August 17 – South Shore Music Circus in Cohasset, Massachusetts
Saturday, August 18 – NYCB Theatre in Westbury, New York
Sunday, August 19 – Mount Laurel Performing Arts Center in Bushkill, Pennsylvania
Tuesday, August 21 – Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, New Jersey
Friday, August 24 – The Peabody Auditorium in Daytona Beach, Florida (date billed as “Hippiefest”)
Wednesday, August 29 – Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio
Thursday, August 30 – DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan
Friday, August 31 – Country Club Hills Theatre in Chicago, Illinois

UPBEAT: TV THAT ROCKED

If you were a young person in the 1960’s and early 1970’s who loved rock ‘n roll and lived in northeast Ohio and if you were anywhere near a television on Saturday’s at 5:00 PM from 1964 – 1971 you were more than likely tuned into the Upbeat TV Show that aired weekly over Cleveland’s WEWS Channel 5. Upbeat was a weekly music program that featured the top national, international and regional bands of the day.

“It was the first show of its kind that really wasn’t a dance party,” said David Spero to WEWS not long ago. David Spero is the son of Herman Spero, producer of the WEWS program The Old Dutch Polka Review, which would later be known as Polka Varieties. “Instead of having, like American Bandstand, where they’d have Frankie Avalon come on and sing two songs, all the rest was kids dancing to the records, he said ‘Let’s have 10 acts.'”

 Upbeat was a trendsetter having appeared long before Hullabaloo, Shindig, Where The Action Is and later, In Concert, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert and the Midnight Special. It debuted on August 29, 1964 as The Big 5 Show, named so because it aired on Channel 5 at 5:00 PM on Saturdays. It was hosted by a variety of Cleveland area disc jockeys until Spero decided a permanent host was needed. Spero saw a young Don Webster hosting a Canadian dance party show and hired him to take over the soon-to-be-renamed Upbeat show.
 
After being hired by WEWS one of Webster’s first duties was to interview The Beatles during their Cleveland appearance.

                                       Don Webster & The Beatles – 1964
 
Soon after Upbeat’s popularity grew so large that Spero and WEWS began syndicating the show around the country, eventually appearing in 105 television markets.
 
Bands/performers would be brought in on a Friday and Spero, Webster and their staff would try to get them a booking at a local High School or club so they’d get some extra pay out of it.

The McCoys (Rick Derringer – left) w/ Don Webster

“We would tape it on Saturday afternoon, rehearsal started at nine, took a break at noon, came back at 1:30 and shot the show and hopefully it was done by five o’clock when you had to see it,” Spero explained. The videotape of one-hour “Upbeat” episode would be copied nine times and then sent to a station in each of the top ten markets (such as New York, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas) broadcast and then that station would sent to a station in the next lower market size, shipped or “bicycled” from market to market.

It didn’t take long for acts who appeared on Upbeat to eventually be seen nationally after a month or so of the tapes making the rounds.

Eric Burden & The Animals appeared

Over the years a virtual who’s who of national, international and regional bands performed numerous times on Upbeat, a few examples included Marvin Gaye & Tammie Terrel, Music Explosion, Velvet Underground, McCoys, Yardbirds, Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, B.B. King, John Kay, Steppenwolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Monkees, Sonny Geraci and The Outsiders, Canned Heat, Paul Revere & The Riders, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tommy James, Sly and The Family Stone, Terry Knight and the Pack,  Johnny Nash, Billy Joe Royal, Stevie Wonder, Gene Krupa, Steam, Box Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Eric Burdon, Lou Christie, The 5th Dimension, Gene Pitney, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Otis Redding, Bar-Kays, the Strawberry Alarm Clock, Fanny, Scott MacKenzie, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Circus, The Toys, American Breed, Steve Colt, The Chylds, The Fifth Estate, The Sonics, Doughboys, Pleasure Seekers, Tiffany Shade, London & The Bridges, The Debutantes, Cyrus Erie, Kickin’ Mustangs, John Sebastian and The Lovin’ Spoonful, Bob Seger, GTO’s, The Shangra-La’s, Spanky and Our Gang, Peter and Gordon, Simon and Garfunkel, Chubby Checker, Grasshoppers, Gary Puckett and Union Gap, Pete Best, Left Banke, Raven, James Gang, Eric Carmen, Choir, Damnation of Adam Blessing.

The legendary BB King

One memorable guest who appeared performed for the last time. On December 9, 1967, after appearing on the Upbeat show and doing a gig in Canton, OH, Otis Redding subsequently died in an airplane crash on the way to his next gig in Madison, WI. “The end of the show was him (Redding), with the Bar-Kays and Mitch Ryder singing ‘Knock On Wood’,” Spero said.
 
Over the years Upbeat featured several ‘house bands’ to back up solo performers. Upbeat house bands were Dave C and the Sharptones, The Grasshoppers (of which the late Ben Orr of the Cars was a member), Rapid Transit and the People’s Choice (Puzzle People).

The Cowsills

Another selling and focal point to the Upbeat show were the ‘Upbeat Dancers’ who performed during various guests’ performances. Maurice “Hank” Nystrom, who went on to national acclaim, was Upbeat’s choreographer (1968 – 1971) when the show was televised to 105 cities nationwide.

Over the years Upbeat Dancers included Jean Hagedorn. Linda Mulcahey, Arline Burks, Jacquelyn Carson, John Magill, Mary Lynn Curnayn, Arlee Gibson, Constance Gibson, Michael Ray, Linda Mulcahy, Kim Havrilla, Arline Burks, Mary Lynn Curnayn, Jacquelyn “Jackie” Carson, Peggy Miller, and Diane Rini, among others.

 After Upbeat ended in 1971 Webster remained at WEWS until his retirement in 1999. He did weather, hosted the Ohio Lottery show, Academic Challenge, The Gene Carroll Show, Bowling for Dollars and anchored Live On Five. Webster is now enjoying his retirement in South Carolina.

Mitch Ryder, Webster, Otis Redding

Ironically, Upbeat founder Herman Spero, who died in 1979 at the age young of 55, proposed to cable networks the idea of a music TV channel just before his death. HBO turned him down. Within a couple years MTV was born.

UPBEAT honored by Hall of Fame

Alex Chilton & The Boxtops appeared several times

The UPBEAT DANCERS

Suzi Quatro & Sisters Reunite For Detroit Music Awards

(NOTE: Click on images to enlarge!)

Suzi Quatro and her sisters, Patti, Arlene & Nanci, who played together as The Pleasure Seekers, will be reuniting for a special appearance at the 2012 Detroit Music Awards on Friday April 27 starting at 6:00 PM at the Fillmore in Detroit.

 Grosse Pointe-born sisters Suzi, Patti, Nanci and Arlene Quatro formed
Detroit’s first and most famous all-girl garage-rock group, the Pleasure
Seekers, in 1964. After just a few weeks practice, the band dared Dave Leone to give them a slot at his popular teen nightclub, The Hideout, in Detroit. He put them on stage two weeks later and they never looked back.

These days most people are familiar with the 61-year-old Suzi Quatro, who’s well known for her string of U.K. and Euro hits.
 
“Our era rocked!” Patti Quatro told Bangagong! “Detroit was an explosion of music and groups at that time.”

 After starting out at The Hideout they were soon touring the Midwest and eventually even USO shows to Vietnam in 1967. Their first single, on the local Hideout label, was Never Thought You’d Leave Me. The flipside, What A Way To Die, was spotlighted in the cult drive-in film Blood Orgy of the Leather Girls.

They were also the first all-girl rock band to sign to a national label. Mercury Records inked the band in 1968 and they immediately released the single, Light Of Love that was aired nationally. The flipside was Good Kind of Hurt. I remember we had it in our 45 collection not long after it came out.

 Another early recollection I have of the band is seeing them on the Upbeat TV show based in Cleveland, OH on WEWS Channel 5. After seeing them it finally hit me, Hey! Girls can rock n roll and play guitar too! What a novel concept!

 The original line-up included Suzi Quatro (bass & vocals), Patti Quatro (guitar), Nancy Ball (drums) and Mary Lou Ball (guitar), and Diane Baker (keyboards). Eventually Arlene Quatro came on as keyboardist through 1969. (Of note, Arlene married manager Leo Fenn and their daughter is actress Sherilynn Fenn.) Other replacements included sister Nancy Quatro, Darline Arnone on drums and vocals and Eileen Biddlingmeier on rhythm guitar.

By 1970 they adapted the name Cradle and went with a much harder sound. Soon after Suzi left for England and a solo career and Patti went to California (in ’74) to join the all-female rock band Fanny while Suzi launched her solo career that continues to this day.

While they never achieved national superstardom, The Pleasure Seekers rocked the house, with attitude, throughout the Midwest and the east coast during the freewheelin’ sixties and helped pave the road for other all-female bands to come along and be taken seriously as hard rockers.

 In 2011 the Quatro sisters issued two retrospective CDs in an attempt to
finally document the history of the two bands they were involved in during the 60’s and early 70’s. The Pleasure Seekers: What A Way To Die covers the singles on Hideout and Mercury along with unreleased cuts from 1964 to 1969.  Cradle: The History is a live collection of unreleased original material recorded at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit.

 In December 2005 a documentary chronicling Suzi Quatro’s life, Naked Under Leather, directed by former member of The Runaways, Victoria Tischler Blue, appeared. In March 2007, Quatro released a version of the Eagles song Desperado followed by the publication of her autobiography, Unzipped.

Suzi Quatro has sold over 45 million records and was voted into Michigan Rock and Roll Legends in 2011.

                                                      SUZI QUATRO today
 
Tickets to the 2012 Detroit Music Awards are $20. Other musicians on
the bill will include Hip-hop hero Black Milk, garage-girl Amy Gore & Her Valentines, throwback crooner Ben Sharkey, swing group Planet D Nonet and country-twanger Paulina Jayne will all perform. Info at: http://www.detroitmusicawards.com

(c)2012 Doc Lehman/Bangagong!