Me too. I was stationed at Stewart AFB (Newburgh, NY) 1963-66...i even watched the show when on duty in the weather station (but not in the control tower)
WOW !!! I cant believe I found this, been looking for some footage of Hootenanny for ever. Thank you to Historic Films for posting this !! Great memories of that show, but those memories have faded quite a bit. More footage please, please !! Giant fan of Chads voice.
I really appreciate seeing him perform. Loved the studio version too, but seeing this old film now that I didn't even know existed back in the day is a pure joy. tyvm for the post.
Wonderful memories of that show, and schoolyard debates about politics, college glee club vocal style & polish versus a Dave VanRonk voice or Baez's jeans and barefoot "folk authenticity." ABC Hootenanny didn't have Joan and DvR, but did have Josh White and the Clancy Brothers, and Judy Henske. With their politics & humor (not in this clip) and great vocal blend, these guys were my favorites among the collegiate harmony trios, but I'd forgotten Chad could whistle too! ;-)
Me, too! Was sad to see him leave the trio, but his first two solo albums were incredible. I played them to death. I played guitar and sang back then, and there have been only two singers about whom I would joke, "I would kill to have his voice!" One was Chad Mitchell, and the other was the late Kenny Rankin. This is a great archival clip from 1963, the first year of Hootenanny, I believe. It could have been a much better show, had ABC allowed them bring Pete Seeger on the show. Pete was totally blacklisted from network TV at that time, and as a result some of the finest contemporary folk artists refused to appear on the show, in solidarity with Pete. That included the Kingston Trio, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul and Mary. Songs that contained even a whiff of social or political controversy were off-limits; if they had been allowed, the show might have lasted a little longer than two years, although the British Invasion of American pop music was the primary death blow.
I agree for the most part but two songs come to my mind that had a whiff of social protest: Leon Bibb's "Rocks and Gravel" and The Rooftop Singers' "On my Way"- I know it's a bit of a stretch. @@lkronquist
Paul's playing is great, as always. Chad is flatter than a squirrel on the blacktop, and melodramatic to boot. didn't like it then, like it even less now -- a white boy singing Bessie Smith just doesn't cut it.
