Seemingly with each week that passes, we are losing hitmakers from our younger years. Familiar faces that graced album covers and magazines, and songs we grew up with and sang along with are now disappearing off of our airwaves. Many radio stations have music directors aged in their 30's, and to them...the term "oldies" means '70s and '80s rock. It is getting harder to find a station spinning songs of the '50s and '60s and the chance to see the music-makers perform live is increasingly getting to be a rarity. An upcoming show at the Capitol Theatre in Davenport on May 8th will help rectify this.
The concert JUKEBOX MEMORIES will hit a chord with anyone who knows what the line "there's a crazy little shack beyond the tracks" means. And in their head, they can probably hum the catchy Hammond keyboard riff that made "Sugar Shack" the top selling hit of the year 1963 for Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs. Concert producer Shawn Nagy started the company "Super Oldies" in 2003. His internet-only oldies station is preserving those charting hits from the prime years of rock and roll (1955-1969) and although he too is too young to have been around to experience the era firsthand, his dedication is unparalleled. Nagy is a one-man crew operating the Super Oldies station, record label, and concert production. The artists have endorsed his station as well, and Shawn began putting multiple artists together for concerts across the US and Canada. The Jukebox Memories show features three top hitmakers, all coming to Davenport for the first time.
JIMMY GILMER retired from performing with the Fireballs in 1968 and has been busy as been a top producer in the Nashville country music scene. Jimmy was called out of retirement for what was supposed to be "just one show". "I had such a blast" Gilmer recalls. "Shawn asked if I wanted to ever do another package concert and I said absolutely. Consider me no longer retired! The excitement of performing live again was such a rush". Shawn states that Gilmer is a true performing rarity: "usually the term "use it or lose it" is the norm for a vocalist. But here is Jimmy, he quit performing in 1968, then comes back on the scene in 2006 sounding as good as ever. When he starts singing, people recognize the voice from the hit records".
Also on the show, and surely to provide more musical memories, is JOEY MOLLAND of the late '60s UK based group Badfinger. When the Beatles launched their own Apple Records label in 1969, Molland's group was one of the first they signed to their label and the Beatles helped produce their top hits such as "Day After Day", "Come & Get It" and "No Matter What" which remain on classic rock station on a daily basis. Molland is the last surviving member of the band.
Headlining is MITCH RYDER, no stranger to any rock & roll fan, and undoubtedly the crowd will be singing along with his world renowned hits such as "Devil With The Blue Dress On" and "Sock It To Me". Ryder is thrilled to get to the area with this show, as he spends quite a bit of each year touring overseas.
These 3 hitmakers will be backed by popular Minnesota group "The Shackshakers" who are returning to the Capitol after a successful show in January 2009 "The Last Tour" which brought Tommy Allsup, Buddy Holly's original lead guitarist back to town to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Holly's show at the Davenport venue. Shawn explains "we had such a blast that evening. By the first song, people were out of their seats and dancing in any empty space they could find. They were very friendly and when I packaged this show together, I wanted to bring something fun back to the Capitol...this time with a dance floor. We hope to see some familiar faces there, it is a breathtaking venue". It is quite possibly one of the last chances to dance at the venue for a while pending the recent announcement of its closing in June.
Pending on response for this show, Nagy promises a return to the area with future packages. "There is no doubt that "oldies" as we know it is in a transition right now. Many performers I've worked with are passing away, but there are still some that are in their '60s and into 70+ years old that are still sounding wonderful and want to do shows. If the demand is there and people come out for this, I'll definitely bring some similar shows back. I want to provide "oldies" fans with a memorable night out, and of course some great Jukebox Memories!"
