HOMEGROWN ROCKER 5/13/12 (COVER SONG SPECIAL)

[Jim Price]

Hello Everyone,

Here is the recap of the May 13 edition of Rocky 104.9 and Rocky 99's weekly local music program, "The Homegrown Rocker," which airs every Sunday night from 8 to 10 PM on WRKY-FM (www.rocky1049.com) and WRKW-FM (www.rocky99.com).

Every so often, we like to explore how area bands and artists treat and interpret the songs of other bands and artists. Thus, this week we presented the annual installment of our popular “Cover Song Special,” as we heard local and regional performers give their takes on time-tested classics and back-of-the-rack gems from a wide assortment of famous bands and artists! We debuted a few new and interesting covers along the way, including The Badlees’ spin on Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May” (available on the group’s just-released best-of album See Me As a Picture), Flight 19’s update of former Altoona rockers The Front’s “Girl Like You” (guitarist John McKelvey and drummer Clint Carothers played on both versions), Full Kilt’s Celtic rock treatment of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s epic “Free Bird” (with fiddler Mandy Passmore sawing and soloing hard down the homestretch!), and Harrisburg-based Kiss tribute Starchild’s rendition of “Do You Love Me.” In addition, we updated “Local Music News,” and dug out a 1980 live cover from Fantasy Airlift for this week’s “Local Music Flashback!”

Here is this week's playlist (with the song’s original artist in parentheses):

HOUR ONE:

HALESTORM – “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” (The Beatles)
CANDLELIGHT RED – “She’s Got the Look” (Roxette)
THE BADLEES – “Maggie May” (Rod Stewart)
MONSTER TRACK SUPERGROUP – “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
FLIGHT 19 – “Girl Like You” (The Front)
CLINT CAROTHERS & FRIENDS – “Marseilles” (Angel City)
GENE THE WEREWOLF – “Thriller” (Michael Jackson)
DONNIE IRIS – “Soul Man” (Sam & Dave)

HOUR TWO:

MICHAEL REICH – “Heart of Gold” (Neil Young)
FULL KILT – “Free Bird” (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
NICK MILLER – “Help Me Scrape the Mucus Off My Brain” (Ween)
THE WORRY KNOT – “The Drugs Don’t Work” (The Verve)
THE CLARKS – “What a Wonderful World” (Louie Armstrong)
FANTASY AIRLIFT – “Carry On Wayward Son” (live) (Kansas) (1980, Local Music Flashback)
STARCHILD – “Do You Love Me” (Kiss)
ORIGINAL SIN – “For Whom the Bell Tolls” (Metallica)
FELIX & THE HURRICANES – “Alabama Getaway” (Grateful Dead)
MISS MELANIE & THE VALLEY RATS – “Just a Little Bit” (Rosco Gordon)
RAGGEDY HOBO – “Sitting Here in Limbo” (live) (Jimmy Cliff)
NORMAN NARDINI – “Smoke Two Joints” (live) (The Toyes)

On our next show, we hope to be joined in studio by Hollidaysburg singer/songwriter/freestyle performer Rich Edmundson. Rich has been recording and planning for his relocation to the Myrtle Beach area this summer; we hope to hear new songs from Rich, and thoughts on his career and planned move. Along the way, we’ll introduce some new songs, update “Local Music News,” dig into the archive for another “Local Music Flashback,” and review The Badlees’ See Me As a Picture: The Best So Far 1999-2012 CD in “The Professor’s CD Corner!” Rich Edmundson returns to the “Homegrown Rocker,” next Sunday night!

Upcoming guests and specials include:

MAY 27 – MEMORIAL DAY SPECIAL
JUNE 3 – JEFF PITTINGER
JUNE 10 – RON GALLUCCI
JUNE 17 – FATHER’S DAY SPECIAL
JUNE 24 – SETH CONNER
JULY 1 – ALLEGORY
JULY 8 – THE WHATLEYS
JULY 22 – ALL TOO HUMAN

For regular updates on what is happening on the area music scene, pay a visit to Rockpage (www.rockpage.net). Rockpage features band links, a message board, "Homegrown Rocker" updates, live show and CD reviews in “JP’s Corner," and other local music scene information.

Bands and artists interested in having music aired on "The Homegrown Rocker" are invited to send their broadcast-quality recordings to: WRKY Radio, One Forever Drive, Hollidaysburg, PA 16648; ATTN: Jim Price. Or drop the recordings off at the station during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 9 AM - 5 PM. You can also email me with inquiries about the show at profjp@rocky1049.com.

Jim Price

In Local Music News…

A benefit concert is coming together to help out an area musician battling cancer. The “Jamming for Jason” benefit will take place on Friday night, June 8 at the Ashville Firehall, to help out former Tie Down drummer Jason Grodis, who has been diagnosed and is currently receiving treatments for an aggressive and rare form of cancer known as Neuroendocrine carcinoid. The benefit will run from 6 p.m. to midnight, and will involve several area bands. We’ll have more details about this benefit in the coming weeks on the “Homegrown Rocker.”

A benefit concert in memory of a Clearfield County woman will take place next Saturday night at Dinger’s in Clearfield. “Rock for Tanya” will help out the family of Tanya Scoggins, who passed away on April 18. The show will start at 8 p.m., and feature performances from Mary Beth Geppart, T.V. Blonde, Rukkus, and Serious Jones with special guest Chris Kane. Donation at the door is $5.

Johnstown R&B performers Smooth Sound have expanded to a six-piece group with the addition of a new singer. The group announced that Venus Hall has joined the group. She made her debut with Smooth Sound this past Friday night during the group’s performance at the Johnstown Discovery Center.