Ep 78 - The Midnight Special | July 16, 1974 

I was 17. Beginning some of the best years of my life.

Same age as me Rag! Rock on! 😃

I was in charge of a camera during all of those tapings, and this taping at Leon Russells studio in Tulsa. You can see me in my RU-vid profile pic operating one. It is amazing to see all of this footage starting to re-surface. I was never given a copy of any of the tapes I worked on. You described it perfectly. This production broke the boundaries of concert and mobile production recordings. I left shelter vision in march of 1975 after the head producer Mike Sandifer left for Los Angeles. What a throwback Midnight Special!

How cool!

WOW!

@@Johnbagg1941 That is Fascinating.... Any Leon stories??

@@Johnbagg1941 We're you involved in with the videos showing on the Church Studio You Tube channel? Lots of good stuff on there!

Thank you!

Great stories from both of you, that's what it's about, the music & memories.

@@brötzmannsax Music, memories and all these musical scholars sharing their knowledge, they establish connections between the bands which grows the myth of the music scene in the 70s!

@@robmatlock7675 Yeah, Clapton was seen around Tulsa back then. I heard of him at the airport and Magician's Theater club on Boulder Avenue.

@@KittyGrizGriz Great story! My brother worked on one of Leon's cars at the Grand Lake house. My friends would tell me stories like yours, showing up to a dive bar and find Leon at an out of tune piano and either George Harrison or Eric Clapton playing an acoustic guitar.

@@robmatlock7675 That’s really neat about your brother and his mechanical abilities, I can’t imagine, as he was really up close and personal with Leon! Yea, we lived in a great city at a fantastic moment in time, with fabulous musicians and live venues to satisfy our youthful exuberance and energy. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world and am so glad I had tired & worn down (youngest of 4 kids in 7 years) parents, who let me explore & spread my wings!

@@robmatlock7675 Oops, forgot to add a big thank you, Rob! 😊. I totally forgot, that the show was on tonight.

Check out Bonnie Bramlett sing Groupie/Superstar to Leon Russell months before his passing in 2016. Leon co wrote the song with Delaney for Bonnie to sing, written about Rita Coolidge falling in love with Eric Clapton, later made famous by the Carpenters. Not a dry eye in the house, Leon held up but was breathing pretty hard it seems to me. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WvEgiZ1lS7Q.htmlsi=B6rvTaRkZ2PuxYTo

@@brötzmannsax Omgoodness Brotz, I got {chills} while listening - thank you! I never knew the name of this song although I’ve heard the Carpenters sing it, so gorgeous and heartfelt. What a deeply moving rendition by Bonnie and with Leon watching, it makes the performance much more special. Did Rita leave Leon after falling in love with Eric C.? That would be my guess, a 💔 tune.

Hi Pynky!!!

So true!

@@gundog7199 You Betcha! 🥰 Leons induction ceremony into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” made me 🥺, good on ya ~ Elton John! 👏 👏 He was also inducted into the “Songwriters Hall of Fame” the same year, 2011.

@@robmatlock7675what did he do?

I LOVE their ‘78 song “You Dropped A Bomb On Me,” and their music was always playing at Tulsas Disco “20th Century Electric Company.” We’d close it down on the weekends at 2am, then head over to “Village Inn” for breakfast or if we were really daring ~ the “Avalon Steakhouse.” The poor waitresses ha! We’d have a table of 10/14, Donna Summers song “She Works Hard for the Money” comes to mind. Gosh I hope we tipped? Can’t remember? 😂

@@KittyGrizGriz The Twentieth Century Electric Company, I was trying to remember the name to that place, disco central in Tulsa. It was BYOB and they would charge you more for a "Set Up" (a glass of coke) than a Denver bar would for a mixed drink. They didn't pass Liquor by the Drink or beer stronger than 3.2 till YEARS after I left town. 😆

@@robmatlock7675 🤣😂 Yeah~ everyone called it liquor by the “wink,” and the raids?! A friend of mine was a cocktail waitress back then & she’s got some doozy stories, she said patrons at the country bars tipped better! Ha! My friends & I were too young to drink there, so when they ink stamped our hand at the door. Left hand was for under 21, Right hand was for over, we’d smash our hands together to transfer the dye & wash off the original. When ordering a drink we’d listen to what “bottle number” the patrons in front of us used & would request a drink from their bottle. 🤭 Never got caught. I “think” we could drink that awful 3.2 tap beer at age 18 though? My memories are kinda hazy, they let “girls rules” slide on by as we probably attracted the boys to the venue. Ya think? 😂

@@KittyGrizGrizthat was a great song, not to mention the many others that they performed. Early in the morning, outstanding, oops upside your head and more. I played everything from them in the 80’s when I was a DJ. Not to mention all the laps of shuffle skating back then.

​@robmatlock7675 I cruised through the Twentieth Century Electric Company in Tulsa on occasion, lol. There was also one in Oklahoma City. We'd drive up from Norman to party there.

I got you fam.😎

Anything on this show calls for it, really.

Leon may have some for you in the piano stool 🤣

I'm happy to hear that you really did research on the wonderful Ruth. I never saw her play with Zappa. She left the band in late '74. I never heard of him until '75 and started seeing his concerts as of '76. I wish I was older and saw Ruth in '73 and '74, along with the rest of the band you saw wrestle with Approximate. Good for you, Laurie.

Growing up in Tulsa, in the 70s, was a kick. Gaylord Sartain (From Hee Haw and Hey Vern it's Earnest) was a big part of the Counterculture there, he hosted a show with Gary Busy and others named "The Mazeppa Pappazoidie's Uncanny Film Festival" which showed camp old horror movies frequently interrupted by funny skits and was also a Robert Crumb-ish graphic artist. He and Leon ran in the same circles and occasionally Leon would play on the show. Even Denver didn't have as many Head Shops and record stores as Tulsa! Every so often Leon and his friends (George Harrison, Eiric Clapton) would show up at a bar downtown and jam. Kitty Gris Cris has a story of one of those experiences.

Where did he say that?

Welcome back to your old self!✌️Yeah, should be interesting and entertaining!🎉 See ya!

@@StephanieJeanne Thanks, Steph. I enjoy coming up with other names, but it is kind of a pain. I screwed myself out of my own original Royale with Cheese by changing it so often, so I settled with Royalle (close enough) because I don't like numbers behind my name. Most looking forward to the MS family!!

Interesting. I always thought of The Gap Band as an Eighties group.

@@gregoryduncan3067 You younguns...

@@gregoryduncan3067 Me, too, Greg.

That was after a few drinks 😂

🤣🤣🤣

@@KittyGrizGriz My mom and dad's 1st date was listening to Johnny Wills at Cain's. That floor was a trip to stand on when people got excited listening to the band, you could get Bucked Off, 🤣🤣

@@robmatlock7675 That’s wonderful to hear about your mom & dads 1st date, at the Cain’s of all places, a Great story! I’ve talked with others on YT, from as far away as the UK & the’ve heard of it as well as the Tulsa Sound. I worked many years for the “Williams Companies” ~downtown, starting at age 22. I was once called upon to answer the executive officers telephones during the lunch hour. A man phoned DON Wills office, our Vice President, when I answered the phone I accidentally said “good afternoon, BOB Wills office”…😂 We both laughed uncontrollably over my snafu, a fun memory.

@@KittyGrizGriz 😂😂

Wow. Super introvert? Or phobia maybe? Cool you got to meet him.

Love these stories, like they say sometimes a let down to meet your heroes. I met mine, Neil Young, he was amazing and down to earth, sat and had a beer with him. Was to nervous to say a word. 🤓

@@budmanfwb Leon had a "Thousand Miles Stare"', seemed like he was always looking 10 minutes into the future,😳

@@StephanieJeanneBill Janovitz wrote a great bio on Leon recently. Worth a read to understand his personality (and encompasses a whole lot of popular music history along the way.)

@@leiferickson5069 Cool! Thanks!

OOPS😭

Agreed, it was Leon’s own company “shelter vision”

I enjoyed this departure from the usual format. Disagree The songs were fleshed out terrifically

Leon didn't like Wolfman touching him at 4:55, but he was all over Wolfman's beard at 23:42!

A Song for You!

Stranger in a Strange Land.

@@robmatlock7675 😆😂 The Gap Store? Or the Gap Band? 🤔 this IS some coincidental ~ funny sh££t! Great eye there, Rob.

I read once that Elton had said Leon's stye of playing influenced his piano playing.

@@williammay1671 Yes, you can hear echoes of Leon's rhythmic block chord-playing in early songs by Elton including "Take Me to the Pilot", "Honky Cat", "Your Song", "Bennie and the Jets", "The Ballad of Danny Bailey" and many more.

Wow, I could spend an afternoon with my headphones on escaping into that!

“You Dropped a Bomb On Me?” from the Gap Band. If that’s the one you’re thinking of, then yes, yes it is.

Yes, that was a great song, not to mention the many others that they performed. Early in the morning, outstanding, oops upside your head and more. I played everything from them in the 80’s when I was a DJ. Not to mention all the laps of shuffle skating back then.

Clothes too. I didn't and don't care, but did notice.

Leon Russell

@@paradisemotel2010 Sorry wrong singer.

Leon was surrounded by them

Nope, not her. Leon would not have her near him. Acrimonious break up

1:36 I believe the lady in red to the far left is a 20 year old Katey Sagal. She entered show business in 1973 as a singer/songwriter and immediately was singing backup for Bob Dylan, Etta James, Leon Russell, etc. In 1978 she was in the trio The Harlettes singing backup for Bette Midler. However, only 2 female names are mentioned as backup singers for the show in the video above- Claudia Lennear (who I think is wearing the lime green outfit), and Kathi McDonald (who is wearing the white hat). Claudia & Kathi were part of Leon's "Shelter People". A better shot of the 4 backup singers is at 3:08

@@supachaloopa3611 Thanks for naming her, I’d read this before but hadn’t seen her perform. I loved Katey in “Married With Children” sitcom. Her 2 younger sisters, Jean and Liz, were the “Doublemint” actresses in the commercials for Wrigley’s chewing gum in the 80’s. A family of beautiful~talented ladies. Doublemint was my dads favorite & he always had a pack.

​​​​@@supachaloopa3611 the lady in red on the far left of the 4 women (with brunette hair) is Ann Bell. Neither Claudia or Kathi are singing as backup singers in this performance.

@@GLD-hopeful Thank YOU!! 😀 I found this 7/9/21 article from the Muskogee Phoenix about Ann Bell, she definitely deserves the recognition👏👏👏: “Ann Bell, an original member of the famed Tulsa Sound, will be inducted by the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame Sept. 18 at a ceremony and concert in Muskogee. Bell started her professional music career at age 16, when she and high school friends Max Wisely, Bill Phillips, Dick Gordon Jr. and Wayne Evans formed the band Rubbery Cargo. The group was discovered and signed a contract to perform at a Tulsa teen club. In 1968, she met and married the legendary Larry Bell and joined his band, which included Tommy Tripplehorn, Gary Sanders, John Rigney and Carl Day. In the 1960s-70s, Bell and her husband founded several bands, including The Sunday Servants and the Larry and Ann Bell Band. They began performing with musicians who had noted careers of their own, including Jamie Oldaker and David Teegarden. She has performed with the GAP Band, J.J. Cale, and Gary Busey. In 1973, Ann began touring and recording with Leon Russell. She left to tour with Joe Cocker from 1977-1981. When Woodstock came on the scene, Bell moved to New York where she performed with Robbie Dupree, Orleans and Todd Rundgren. Her career included recording and touring through the 1990s with Richie Havens, Johnny Average Band and David Sancious. With her current husband, Tom Nicholson, a keyboard player and producer, the two fronted additional bands. Her New York contacts included Nicole Willis, Wells Kelly and Dede Deja Washburn. Bell records today. Bell is credited as being the inspiration for the Oklahoma-based Women of Song (WOS) project. Brenda Cline founded WOS as a platform to feature female artists who are major contributors to the Oklahoma music scene and deserve recognition. Bell will perform with an eight-piece band on an outdoor stage east of the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. The band includes Tom Nicholson, keyboards; Billy Estes, drums; Frank Padilla, percussion; Alan Ransom, bass; Pete Marriott, guitar; Jennifer Marriott, vocals and guitar; Wade Inman, sax and Dede Deja Washburn, vocals.” ✅ Check out this vid of Leon’s recording session with Ann Bells husband, Larry, at “Paradise Studios” in LA, CA. I believe (from memory) he’s the roller skates wearing keyboard player. Why do so many of my posts here involve “skating??” tis 😜 and wacky 😂. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IaHxPi9dM7o.htmlsi=TvLfpCLQHxoYwx9e

I think yellow was just the color of his teeth. My Mom also has yellow teeth, but she brushes them twice a day. I've heard that yellow teeth are usually strong.

Pepsodent toothpaste😁. I remember the Pepsodent tv commercial back then. "Eat like an adult, drink like an adult."

A Dentist would have been helpful, too.

I didn’t realize, that to truly appreciate an artist, their physical appearance has to be perfect. How shallow.

EV DS35!

I’d want to say that would be Robert Wilson of the GAP Band? If he’s African American then that’s him. Hard to believe that of all the three Wilson brothers, only Charlie remains 😢😢

@@patrickguice Thanks!

Amen.

@@SuperBeachbum74 This was the least slurred, non studio performance I've heard from Leon,😁

Leon sings just fine and if you need an introduction to his music, check him out with ‘70 Joe Cockers “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” tour, and ‘71 George Harrison’s “Concert for Bangladesh.” Leon’s renditions on “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” “Youngblood” and “Beware of Darkness,” ARE legendary.

@@KittyGrizGriz 🐈🐻🐻, preach it sister ✋

@@KittyGrizGriz saw that movie, even the films director said that was a terrible experience for him as they all behaved like uncivilized animals. He was asked to direct the documentary “ Elvis on Tour “ but refused based on that experience. After persistence he said he’d meet with Elvis first and agreed saying after , the “ Mad Dogs” film, Directing Elvis was an excellent experience as he had pure class and was respectful thruout. I saw both films at 20 yrs old in a double feature at the Willow Creek theater in Palatine, Illinois . The theater was packed, mostly with youth 15-25 and as we were exiting, local media asked each individual which film they liked best. It was overwhelming by about 90%+ that the Elvis documentary was superior and many , including myself , absolutely hated the “ Mad Dogs “ film referring to it as low class losers.

That's why I don't have any Leon Russell in my music collection, but I like some of his work though. It has a unique country-rock groove to it.

@@executivedecision6141 me too, love some of his songs, sung by others . George Benson - Lady Blue, the Carpenters - A Song For You, Bobbie Gentry - Delta Lady

@@executivedecision6141 That country - Rock grove was known as the "Tulsa Sound", When Eric Clapton recorded JJ Cale's "After Midnight" the sound enjoyed much success. JJ, Leon, and Elvin Bishop were the torch bearers of the Tulsa Sound.

@@robmatlock7675 The first time I heard Eric Clapton's "After Midnight", that was a sketch on Saturday Night Live from the 1980 to 1981 troubled 6th Season. It was sketch that the late Charles Rocket was in with host Charlene Tilton.

@@SuperBeachbum74 Yea, we get it, as you’ve posted the same sentiment, twice now. 🤷‍♀️

Back then, it was called a Mazola Party.

Wait till next weeks show, Willie Nelson's 1974 4th of July picnic is CRAZY!