'60s '70s '80s - Warm, Candid, Classic, Rock Interviews with Music Legends - A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Tom Petersson is a musician best known as the bassist and co-founder of the iconic rock band Cheap Trick . Born in Rockford, Illinois, Petersson's musical journey began at an early age when he picked up the guitar. However, he later transitioned to bass guitar, a move that would define his signature sound and role in shaping Cheap Trick's distinctive style. In the early 70s, Petersson co-f...

Ian Gillan was one of the foremost vocalists of the heavy metal style of rock that emerged in the ‘70s, earning his greatest celebrity as a member of Deep Purple despite the fact that he also led his own bands. Ian began singing while still in his teens and was a member of several pub rock bands.  It was in one of these that he met bass player Roger Glover, and the two were invited to join Deep Pu...

Elliott Randall is one of the greatest guitarists of the Rock era. His solos on Steely Dan’s hit “Reelin’ In The Years” and Irene Cara’s “Fame” are nothing short of iconic. To the uninitiated, it might seem like Elliott has made a career out of saying no to great opportunities. Steely Dan , The Doobie Brothers, The Blues Brothers a nd Toto all asked him to join their bands and he said no. But Elli...

British musician Steve Harley , whose glam-rock band Cockney Rebel had an enduring hit with the song Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me), has died at the age of 73. Harley said late last year he was being treated for “a nasty cancer”. Born in London in 1951, Harley worked as a trainee accountant and as journalist on local newspapers, and began his performing career at London folk clubs. He formed C...

With his hard, edgy tone, rough and rowdy vocals, and barroom boogie aesthetic, Canadian singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Pat Travers is a fine example of a Canadian bluesy hard rock act. He emerged during the '70s heyday of hard blues-rocking guitar heroes. His 8 albums from his 1976 debut through to 1984 netted seven Top 200 chart placements and two Top 40 singles, including the party anth...

Born in Memphis, singer/songwriter/guitarist, Billy Burnette spent most of his youth in the presence of father Dorsey and uncle Johnny (of the legendary Rock and Roll Trio).  The Trio made the Rockabilly name famous by combining the name Billy and his cousin Rocky for the 1953 “Rockabilly Boogie” – thus making the term Rockabilly a household name. The legendary trio influenced a diverse array of R...

The Animals were an English rock band of the 1960s, formed in Newcastle upon Tyne. The original lineup featured Eric Burdon (vocals), John Steel (drums), Hilton Valentine (guitar), and Chas Chandler (bass). The group is most famous for their top-five hit single “House of the Rising Sun” along with other popular songs like “We’ve Gotta Get Out of this Place” and “It’s My Life”. Early Years The Anim...

Arthur Brown burst out of obscurity in 1968 with "Fire," an energetic fusion of blues, jazz and psychedelia with his over-the-top vocals invoking the dangers of the dark side. “Fire” launched Arthur to fame worldwide. He was born in North Yorkshire in 1942. After attending a grammar school Arthur studied at University where he focused on law and philosophy. His interest in music began to...

John Hall is a founding member of the band Orleans and one of the main instigators of the No Nukes and MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) movements. He’s been intimately involved in promoting social change and environmental advocacy, both as a private citizen and as an elected representative in Congress. John was studying piano at 5, playing French horn, guitar bass and drums by 12. He starte...

Meet Russell Morris , one of Australia's must enduring, most talented and most beloved singer, songwriters. From his pop stardom in the '60s to pioneering singer-songwriter, Russell has shaped the country's musical landscape for over seven decades. We explore the origins of his iconic hit, "The Real Thing," and the unconventional journey that led him to pursue a solo career....

Allan Clarke is a British musician celebrated for his role as the lead vocalist of the legendary rock band, The Hollies . With a career spanning decades, Clarke's distinctive tenor voice and songwriting prowess have left an indelible mark on the history of rock and roll. Clarke co-founded The Hollies in the early 1960s with childhood friends Graham Nash, Eric Haydock, Tony Hicks, and Don Rathbone....

Former teen idol Bobby Sherman is 80 years old and still wowing them. He was born in Santa Monica, California and became interested in singing whilst at high school. Following his graduation, he was given the opportunity to sing for Sal Mineo’s band at a party and eventually got a gig as house singer for the ABC show ‘Shindig!’, which ran from 1964 to 1966. His luck changed drastically in 1968 whe...

Helen O'Hara is a talented violinist best known for her contributions to British band Dexys Midnight Runners. Born in London, Helens musical journey began at an early age. She exhibited a natural affinity for the violin, showcasing both technical prowess and a deep emotional connection to the instrument. Her early training and dedication to mastering the violin set the stage for her later succ...

John Kay and his band Steppenwolf were pivotal in shaping the rock music landscape of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Born in Germany in 1944 as Joachim Fritz Krauledat, John’s journey to becoming a rock icon was filled with challenges and perseverance. John’s early life was marked by adversity. He faced hardships in post-war Germany and immigrated to Canada as a teenager. His passion for music bl...

Chicago was one of the most successful bands of the rock era, racking up 21 Billboard Top Ten hits between 1970 and 1990. They were a band that placed equal (if not greater) emphasis on horns as guitar and picked up where Blood Sweat & Tears left off. Chicago quickly learned how to channel their expansive sound into concise pop songs, scoring hits in the early 1970s with punchy tunes like "25...

Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was an American rock band formed in New Jersey in 1968. They enjoyed huge commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of 'Rolling Stone'", "Only Sixteen" and "A Little Bit More." Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show owes much of their success to poet Shel Silverstein. The ban...

Canned Heat emerged in 1966 and was founded by blues historians and record collectors Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson and Bob “The Bear” Hite. Hite took the name “Canned Heat” from a 1928 recording by Tommy Johnson. They were joined by Henry “The Sunflower” Vestine, another ardent record collector who was a former member of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Rounding out the band in 1967 were Larry “The...

Rolling Stone Magazine caled Darlene Love “one of the greatest singers of all time” but perhaps Paul Shaffer says it even more concisely: “ Darlene Love is Rock N’ Roll! ” – which was made official when she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Bette Midler, a great fan of her work, in 2011. She was one of Phil Spector's hand-picked early '60's girl group singers and sang...

Walter Trout is an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter and probably the best performer I have ever seen play live. Walter's backstory is a page-turner you won’t want to put down. Five decades in the making; it is equal parts thriller, romance, suspense and horror. There are musical fireworks, critical acclaim and fists-aloft triumph, offset by years in the wilderness and massive na...

Joey Dee and the Starliters were a hot act in 1962 with the hit “Peppermint Twist.” — The Beatles opened for them and Dee helped out a young Jimi Hendrix. Joey Dee with his group, The Starliters, helped launch the "Twist" craze in 1961 with their hit song "The Peppermint Twist". Joey is often billed as “The Godfather of The Twist.” Joey Dee started out wanting to be a history t...

One of Australia’s longest surviving vocal groups, the Delltones were formed in 1959. Comprising Ian ‘Pee Wee’ Wilson, Noel Widerberg, Brian Perkins and Warren Lucas. The band performed at dances, as part of backing bands for artists such as Johnny O’Keefe. Occasionally performing a cappella covers of songs they heard on the radio, the band was influenced by 50s doo-wop vocal groups. The accidenta...

Status Quo are one of Britain's longest-running bands, staying together for over six decades. During much of that time, the group was only successful in the U.K., where they racked up a string of Top Ten singles over the decades. In America, the Quo were ignored after they abandoned psychedelia for heavy boogie rock in the early '70s. Before that, the band managed to reach number 12 in the...

Few singer/songwriters are as individual and eclectic as Rickie Lee Jones , a vocalist and composer who’s able to weave jazz, folk, and R&B into songs for decades. Rickie Lee’s greatest commercial success came at the outset of her career with ‘Chuck E’s in Love’, but a restless creative spirit and a stubborn refusal to be pigeon holed into any one musical niche, ensured her on-going status as...

Marty Wilde (born Reginald Leonard Smith) is an English singer and songwriter who was among the first generation of British pop stars to imitate American rock'n'roll. He began performing under the name Reg Patterson until he was spotted by impresario Larry Parnes who subsequently changed his name to Wilde. From mid 1958 to the end of 1959, Marty was one of the leading British rock singers,...

Over the past several decades you would have heard Louie Shelton 's riffs and solos on many hits by artists such as; THE MONKEES Last Train To Clarksville, THE JACKSON FIVE: I Want You Back, LIONEL RICHIE; Hello, THE CARPENTERS; We’ve Only Just Begun & Close To You, NEIL DIAMOND; Cracklin’ Rose, Play Me and I Am I Said, BOZ SCAGGS; Low Down plus albums with BARBRA STREISAND, JOE COCKER, TH...