The Buckinghams in Concert

We want to thank all our fans for helping make The Happy Together 25th Anniversary Tour a huge success! We are blessed to play alongside so many talented entertainers, including The Turtles' Flo and Eddie, the great ones, Micky Dolenz and Mark Lindsay, The Grass Roots' Rob Grill, Dusty Hanvey and Mark Dawson, and the exceptional guitar of Wayne Avers. Touring for many weeks with our friends gave us great opportunities to catch up and experience the joy of an exciting tour, reminiscent of the whirlwind schedule we kept in 1967. No matter how many times we sing our songs, we sing them new for you each concert. We thank you for the opportunities to be, again, a part of your lives in song. It was a privilege to meet many of you after the show, and many emotional, poignant moments were shared when you brought vinyl albums and pictures from our 'first' tours in the late 1960s. Its humbling to be a part of your greatest memories, and we appreciate you honoring us, yesterday an

Shared this on Facebook, and wanted to post it here as well. Thought our friends would enjoy one of the many great reviews from the Happy Together Tour. Carl Review from Examiner.com , from Keswick Theatre, show: Twenty-five years ago, the “Happy Together” tour brought together some of the signature artists from the 1960s pop/rock sound to help celebrate the music’s influence and longevity. Now the tour is back for its 25th anniversary, and it brought a lot of fun and excitement to the Keswick Theatre last night, July 20th. Everyone in the room, on stage or in the audience, young and old, felt the 60s experience wash over them when the show began. As I entered the sold out show, I saw a lot of fans wearing various band T-shirts and discussing the music they grew up with. There was barely any room to move (which is a testament to the Keswick’s ability to book very popular shows). I actually expected to see more children. On the stage hung two peace symbols (orange and yellow), and that

The Village of Hoffman Estates was a beautiful venue for The Buckinghams to celebrate Independence Day at their concert July 3, 2010. This concert was the first show where Founding Members Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna, plus longtime keyboardist/vocalist, Bruce Soboroff welcoming guitarist/vocalist Dave Zane and drummer/vocalist Rocky Penn to the Buckinghams lineup. An enthusiastic audience gathered early and filled the lawn from front to back by sundown. Some regular festival and concert attendees came prepared. They brought small crates as tables, added linen tablecloths and candlelight as the sun set across Hoffman These videos were recorded by Buckinghams' fan Art in Illinois, and we appreciate his sharing these memories of a great evening.

On behalf of The Buckinghams, we would like to congratulate Dick Biondi. June 29 is the date for the dedication of "Dick Biondi Way." We can't think of anyone who deserves the honor of having a street named after him more than Dick. You have helped so many in the music business, including The Buckinghams. We will all be there to honor you. We love you Dick--always your friends, Carl and Nick Radio station/studio image courtesy of Robert Feder's blog: http://www.wbez.org/blog/robert-feder/after-50-years-dick-biondi-gets-his-own-way-chicago

The First leg of The Happy Together Tour 25th anniversary just ended, and I must say it went by quickly. Nick and I are very proud to be a part of it, once again being reunited with The Turtles Mark and Howard, man those guys are funny! and Rob Grill of The Grass Roots. As you know the one and only Micky Dolenz and the talented Mark Lindsay also joined us on the tour. They are both good people and very talented entertainers, it was a pleasure to get to know them better. Every one of them brings something special to the show. I had the opportunity to sit back and watch the performance one night, and they are all so incredibly talented and entertaining. I want to mention our fantastic band, Godfrey Townsend, Steve Murphy, Manny Focarazzo and John Montagna, we are fortunate to have such gifted musicians playing with us, they add tremendous authenticity to the entire show. Kudos to our tour/production manager, Ron Hausfeld, who runs a tight ship and keeps the entire tour running smoothly.

Thanks to Hippie Radio 101.1, and Doc Watson, here are several great photos of The Buckinghams' concert in Havana, Illinois last month, at the Havana High School Auditorium. The link to the photos on the radio web site is: http://www.myhippie.com/pages/7012729.php?imageGalleryXRefId=1844263#imgXR Hippie Radio 101.1 is radio for the Baby Boomer generation! The music you hear on this station spans from the mid-60's through the late 70's! It's the hits you remember and tunes you won't hear anywhere else.

Preview of long-awaited release of "Up Close". DVD/CD box set now available from The Buckinghams. Preview the DVD here: The DVD/CD Box Set can be ordered at www.thebuckinghams.com

The Buckinghams' bass player/vocalist, Nick Fortuna, celebrates his birthday today. Check out McCracken's video and hear Nick sing "Only the Beginning" as part of The Buckinghams/Chicago Medley. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJsqiBLxO1E&feature=related

From York Newspapers' Blog, The Flip Side : The Buckinghams, Jordin Sparks open Hersheypark By Erin McCracken posted on April 27, 2010 9:57 AM Hersheypark opens its gates for its 103rd season this weekend. Join the celebration from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Ride coasters and check out "TAP: The Show" in the Park's Music Box Theatre. Travel back to the '60s with American rock band The Buckinghams. They perform at 4 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Hersheypark Amphitheatre. "American Idol" season six winner Jordin Sparks performs at 4 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday...Seating for ampitheatre shows is first-come, first-serve. Admission is included with Hersheypark tickets. Click here for ticket details. McCracken's Story at: http://www.yorkblog.com/flipside/2010/04/the-buckinghams-jordin-sparks.html "One sure sign of summer’s arrival is the opening of Hersheypark. You’ll hear the roar of the roller coasters — and screams that acco

From a story in the Pekin Daily Times by Tara Mattimoe, The Buckinghams are to be the featured attraction for the Spring Fling Saturday, April 24th in Havana, IL. The event is presented by the Havana Chamber of Commerce, with primary sponsor Havana National Bank, and includes an antique and custom car show. Mattimoe's story notes: "The event’s main attraction lies in the featured band, The Buckinghams, said Chamber of Commerce board member, and Havana’s Economic Development Coordinator, Terry Svob. “The chamber has never put on an event with someone of this stature,” Svob said of the band. Getting The Buckinghams into Havana is quite a coup for the community, he said, and the group will hopefully bring in a sizable crowd — particularly from the baby boomers both in and out of town." ... "Hippie Radio out of Peoria and Cool Radio out of Springfield will both conduct live feeds during the afternoon, Svob said. There will be food and snack booths available during the c

The Buckinghams will perform as the headline entertainment for the 24th annual Punta Gorda Block Party, Saturday, April 17th, in Punta Gorda, Florida. The annual Block Party Days event attracts close to 40,000 people each year, and The Buckinghams take the Retta Esplanade Stage at 6:30 pm. Today's Sarasota, Florida, Herald Tribune features a story by Chris Gerbasi on the event here: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100417/ARTICLE/4171043/2055/NEWS?Title=Punta-Gorda-Block-Party-today noting: "The Block Party, which typically draws about 40,000 people, includes food booths from local restaurants, arts and crafts, and a children's area. The party is the latest in a string of events, including a wine and jazz festival, a college baseball tournament, the annual air show and other music shows, that have brought thousands of people into the area this year." Next weekend, The Buckinghams are in concert in Havana, Illinois.

In the April edition of Chicago Magazine ( www.chicagomag.com ) readers will note in Jeff Ruby's article that The Buckinghams' "Kind of a Drag" comes in at #39 of the top 40 of 'any' Chicago records. We're not talking about 'of the 1960s' but instead, of any time period. As the first page of the article shows, The Buckinghams' album debut on Chicago's USA Records label was selected to be included among contemporaries including Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, The Staple Singers, The DJ Fast Eddie, Screeching Weasel, the inimitable Howlin' Wolf, The Chi-Lites, and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The digital version of Ruby's article can be reviewed online Chicago Magazine and explores the questions "What counts as a Chicago record"? and "What does 'greatest' mean"? This distinction was first noted by Johnnie Putman of the WGN Radio "Steve and Johnnie Show", whose keen eye saw it first. The story is i

Veteran Chicago journalist Robert Feder had a nice item this morning in his Vocalo blog about how the crowd gathered to hear the Bob Sirott's interview with radio DJ legends Dick Biondi and Herb Kent filled the auditorium and then "overflowed into three satellite rooms" this weekend. Excerpt follows: # Hundreds of fans packed the Columbia College auditorium and overflowed into three satellite rooms Saturday when Bob Sirott interviewed Chicago radio’s greatest living legends, Dick Biondi and Herb Kent, onstage together for the first time. What made a great night even more unforgettable was the presence of many local music legends in the audience to pay tribute to Biondi and Kent. They included Gene “Duke of Earl” Chandler, Marshall Thompson of the Chi-Lites, Ronnie Rice of the New Colony Six, Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortuna of the Buckinghams, Jim Peterik of The Ides Of March and Survivor, Fred Glickstein of the Flock, and Al Lathan of Four Days and a Night. Among radio

SPECIAL EVENT SET FOR TONIGHT As Dave Hoekstra reported in today's Chicago Sun-Times newspaper, well-known journalist Bob Sirott will host a special evening, conversation-style tonight at Columbia College Chicago. Hoekstra notes "Herb Kent the Kool Gent" and Dick (the Wild I-Tralian) Biondi are members of The Chicago Radio Hall of Fame. The event is free and open to the public. The interview will be taking place at 7:30 pm in Columbia's Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash, 8th floor. For the full story check out http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/hoekstra/2150208,CST-FTR-radio10.article Bob Sirott promises an evening that will be the most interesting history lesson ever taught about five decades of Chicago radio and two of its most beloved DJs. From Christmas 2009,the UCan Food Drive hosted by Dick Biondi. Here, Carl enjoys annual holiday appearances with Dick for True Oldies 94.7's community endeavors. [Image credits: Dick Biondi's photo by Fred Winston, origina

Five days before his 33rd birthday, we lost John Poulos, a dear friend who was like a brother to us, as well as The Buckinghams’ drummer. Often described as the heartbeat of our band, he was known to most Buckinghams’ fans of the 60s simply as Jon-Jon. To know John was to love him. With his outgoing personality, he never met a stranger. His talent is remembered best in the style he displayed on drum fills and riffs on our hits, including “Don’t You Care,” “Hey Baby, They’re Playing Our Song,” and “Kind of a Drag.” It’s not surprising that Jon-Jon was included as one of the Top 10 drummers in Modern Drummer Magazine. Contemporary MySpace profiles of aspiring amateur and professional musicians today include the name John Poulos among their musical influences. That’s an honor both fitting and accurate for a musician who was truly one of a kind. Nick and I recall that one of John’s own musical influences was Bobby Elliot, drummer for The Hollies, whose signature beret and tossing of his he

Thanks to Kent Kotal for his Forgotten Hits Sunday Comments today, noting the video of "I Knew You When", an audience favorite featuring Carl Giammarese. ******** re: THE BUCKINGHAMS: I recently found this hot new video of Carl Giammarese and The Buckinghams performing the Joe South / Billy Joe Royal tune " I Knew You When " ... pretty nice version of a FAR too under-played oldie. The band sound great ... and it's neat to see a brand new "concept video" interpretation of this tune! YouTube - The Buckinghams I KNEW YOU WHEN ****** Video credits go to L. A. Franicich, of Transient Organs Productions, for creating and posting this video. It's Vintage Buckinghams from 1998, and their "Terra Firma" CD release on Nation Records. Of note for collectors, there's two releases of "Terra Firma". Only the 2003 special edition CD (see cover below) of " Terra Firma " includes this particular video.

While traveling recently, we paused to stop in at one of the famous Cracker Barrel Restaurants found on major highways and couldn't wait to shop for the unique greeting cards. An interesting find was the "Remember When" series of cards, published by Seek Publishing, and there's a card for each year you were born. With a card for every year over a 60-year period, you can find a car for the year you were born, or one for your parents, and grandparents. The "kardlets" contain info pertaining specifically to that particular single year. Zoom in and see that among the favorite hit songs of the year 1967, "Kind of a Drag" by The Buckinghams is right there in favorite memories. Special highlights of the card series include: • News • Hollywood highlights • Price index of cars, houses, milk, gas, and more • Year specific magazine advertisements If you see this where you like to buy greeting cards, be sure and check out the one from 1967. For more info, chec

Minnesota is a favorite state for Buckinghams' concerts, and a particularly great concert was the Faribault County Fair , held July 26, 1986. Featuring The Buckinghams and Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon, the concert was considered 'retro' as " Back to the 50s and 60s ". Today 'retro' is 'classic'. Sponsored by radio station KBEW-AM, whatever the event was part of the festival/fair heydey of the mid-80s. No matter how high the hair piled atop their heads, Carl, Nick, Bob, Bruce, and Tom, are ever much the same today as back in 1986.

According to the Billboard Magazine music charts, today marks the 43rd anniversary of the day when "Kind of a Drag" reached the number one spot. The Top Five Songs for the Week of Feb. 18, 1967 include: 1 Kind of a Drag, The Buckinghams 2 I'm a Believer, The Monkees 3 Ruby Tuesday, The Rolling Stones 4 Georgy Girl, The Seekers 5 (We Ain't Got) Nothin' Yet, The Blues Magoos Released originally on the USA Records label, the song was coproduced by Carl Bonafede and Dan Belloc, recorded at Chess Studios at 2120 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago. The office and studio was designated as a Chicago Landmark in May, 1990 and is home to timeless rock, blues, and jazz classics that, like the music of The Buckinghams, remain a commodity, even 43 years after their original release date. Columbia Records bought the masters for The Buckinghams' music after the band signed as Columbia recording artists, so you'll find Kind of a Drag as hits on both labels. Most recently, Carl G

One popular nationally syndicated show, "The Village Square" was broadcast each week between 1965-1968. The program was 30 mins of variety entertainment featuring the house band, The Villagers, Jeannie Le Bois, and the Village Dancers. The current hits on the charts were performed by The Villagers, and it's like deja vu all over again for The Buckinghams, who for 13 weeks were on the show All-Time Hits, doing this exact routine, performing the popular hits of the day. Kind of a Drag, performed by The Villagers It wasn't long before The Buckinghams were the hitmakers being emulated by groups of talented musicians across the country. And, All-Time Hits, on Chicago's own WGN-TV was the first local Chicago program broadcast in color. The Village Dancers are also an important part of the formula The Buckinghams had accompanying them on their TV performances. An even more subtle feature is the silver drum kit in the background looks very much like the kit Jon-Jon used

Festivals and fan cams are a great way to give those couldn't attend a chance to be there for part of the fun. These videos are new from YouTube user, Hal109. Taken with his Canon digital camera at the Highland Park, IL festival in August, 2009. In the first video, Carl Giammarese sings "Happy Together" by The Turtles from a great part of the concert. Carl, Nick, and Tom Scheckel were part of the Happy Together Tour in 1985, one of the Top 10 Grossing Tours of 1985-1986. and here's Bob Abrams on lead vocals in an excerpt of Tommy James' "Crystal Blue Persuasion" in The Buckinghams' Solid Gold 60s Medley, a crowd favorite. In a tribute to Chicago, Carl Giammarese sings "Does Anyone Really Know What Time It is?" In this compilation of still picturea and video, catch the festival fever and enjoy the show. Look for Steve Frost on trumpet solo in this standout performance.

Inquiring minds want to know: when did Pete Townshend decide to destroy perfectly incredible guitars? Who, who came up with this attention-getting ploy? Was it in a band 'group meeting' or did he just strike out on his own one day, and Keith Moon followed suit by kicking his drums, and Roger, not to be left out, mauled the microphone... People who watch any version of the CSI shows, whether CSI New York, CSI Miami, CSI Las Vegas, etc., are treated to a carefully controlled wildboy version of Pete Townshend's remakes of songs at the opening and closing of the episodes. Because audiences hear them each week, it's easy to expect that a second and third generation of young rockers think the tunes, made famous by The Who, are now enjoying new life as considerably more 'contemporary' music. Little do they suspect that some 45 years ago, the lads were new in town, new in the USA and new to the simple courtesies of not destroying the equipment for the next guys on stage

The Who's Pete Townshend with Sunn Amplifier's Buck Munger Unparalleled raconteur Buck Munger recently provided powerful words and great memories in photos from his blog on www.guitararcheology.com and the only way to do his words justice is to direct you specifically to his site. He spins a fascinating tale as a roving representative of Sunn Amplifiers, which was carving out quite a reputation as a musician-owned business in the midst of fierce competition to blast the sounds from a burgeoning revolution in amplifiers. In a recent radio interview, Carl Giammarese told a story about how The Who was once an opening act for The Buckinghams. The Bucks were ill prepared for the onstage antics of their then warm-up act. An excerpt from Buck's blog "The WHO and Sunn Amps Part 3", by Buck Munger: "In Kansas City, the Who were opening for the Buckinghams (“Kind of a Drag”) who were on their fifth hit single on Columbia from producer Jim Guercio. The sound check was

Kent Kotal scooped the media today in announcing the latest news from John Rook, legendary national record program director and cofounder of the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. The Buckinghams are among "the sixty-four recording stars who have been inducted into the 2009 Hit Parade Hall of Fame." Formed in 2006, the organization is considered a prestigious, if not refreshing, alternative to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Nominees for this honor are made by a powerful array of industry professionals. Fans then have an opportunity to cast their votes for "recording stars who have had two or more top ten hits in the '50s, '60s or '70s." It was the vote of fans and the decision of the Nominating Committee that the following recording artists are inducted for 2009: America, the Ames Brothers, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Louis Armstrong, Frankie Avalon, Brook Benton, Buckinghams , Glen Campbell, Chordettes, Petula Clark, Sam Cooke, Dave Clark Five, Creeden

Story in Today's Chicago Daily Heral d is a concert preview for two shows this coming weekend. Full story link at: http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=354017 Herman's Hermits, Buckinghams set to salute the '60s By Gregory Harutunian | Daily Herald Correspondent The Buckinghams still draw fans to hear "Kind of a Drag" and other hits from the '60s. Peter Noone says Herman's Hermits will tailor its Waukegan show to the audience. Published: 1/28/2010 12:01 AM Sparked by Beatlemania, 1964 marked the start of the "British Invasion" on the American music scene, and prompted the formation of many stateside bands to meet the challenge. Prime examples of that period hit Waukegan's Genesee Theatre stage at 8 p.m. Friday for a "Salute to the '60s." The lineup includes British band Herman's Hermits with Peter Noone, The Grass Roots with Rob Gill, and The Buckinghams with Carl Giammarese and Nick Fortunato. Far from being classed as no

Said it before, will say it again. The Internet is a great invention. YouTube is even greater. Where else in the world but the Internet and YouTube could you ever hope to hear a #1 song played on the Ukelele and it actually sounds terrific? Admit it, you think ukelele, your mind races to Don Ho's "Tiny Bubbles." Right? But after a viewing of this gentleman, known only as "kharmachanic" it's quite a special rendition. And the talented troubadour has more videos on the Net of other songs, each video hosting a regular cast of characters, including the cockatoo (shades of Baretta) and a cat that answers to either Tiki-Tiki or Aku-Aku. So, expect the unexpected when you catch this version of a song you only thought you knew:

On this day in history A history lesson from "Good Time Oldies Buffalo radio veteran Tom Schuh - the greatest Top 40 hits of the 60s and 70s: Beatles, Brits & Beach Boys; Motown & Memphis and more! Plus "Hall of Fame Hits" from the 50s, and even a few "Modern Oldies" from the 80s." BIRTHDAYS: The Troggs guitarist Chris Britton is 65. Richie Havens is 69. MUSIC HISTORY: In 1957 Filming began on Elvis Presley's movie "Loving You." In 1961 Elvis Presley signed a five-year movie deal with producer Hal Wallis. In 1962 Jackie Wilson performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show." In 1965 The Animals had to cancel a show at New York's Apollo Theater when the U.S. Immigration Department refused to allow the group to work at the venue. The Rolling Stones arrived in Sydney, Australia to begin a tour with Roy Orbison. The Kinks released the single "Tired of Waiting for You" in the UK. In 1966 George Harrison married his first wife,

A recent Morris Daily Herald story noted the band, Checkered Past cited contemporary concerts by The Buckinghams as a place where today's college students were familiar with all the music of the popular 60s Chicago band. Event producer Ron Romero decided, after watching audiences at a Buckinghams' concert, that he wanted to form a 60s band. The group Checkered Past performed recently at the Morris Country Club in Grundy County, IL. An excerpt from Jeanne Millsap's Daily Herald story follows: It only makes sense that guitarist/vocalist Ron Romero started up a band that plays 60s classics. Music from that era seems to have grown to appeal to every generation, and Romero’s interest in music spans several generations in his own family. Romero, of Minooka, plays the drums and guitar, and he sings. His older brother is an accomplished guitarist and organist; his father played trumpet in jazz bands; and his grandmother played piano, classical guitar, the mandolin, and other instr