"The 1960s Pop-Rock Music and TV Shows Net" Roundup for March 2009

Welcome to "The 1960s Pop-Rock Music and TV Shows Net" Roundup report for the month of March. The Net aired each week of the month with excellent participation. A total of 18 different stations checked in at least once or more during the month.
 
Four net members can pat themselves on the back for participating in the Net every week. Those stations making the "PA (Perfect Attendance) List" this month were:

K7DMF (Dave in Vail)
K1ATV (Bil in Mesa)
KE7FQL (John in Phoenix)
KE7GRV (Terry in Tempe)

As always, there were a lot of great trivia questions covering both '60s rock music and TV shows. The three featured segments of the Net each week, "This Week In 1960s Rock and Roll History", "#1 Hits For The Week Of.....", and "This Week In 1960s Television History" continued to be an integral part of the Net.

Early in the month, K1ATV (Bil) posed a question to me asking if I remembered a 1960s group called The Five Americans. In all honesty, I did not recall the name of the group at the time nor the name of their big hit, "Western Union"; however, in listening to it on YouTube, my recollection of this catchy tune came back immediately. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, this '60s classic is one I had not heard played on the radio in many, many years, and to this day, does not seem to be on my favorite oldies station playlist. But make no mistake, "Western Union" was a huge hit for this Dallas-based rock quintet that charted all the way to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in March 1967. "Western Union" made The Five Americans a very popular act across America that included performing many concerts and making a noteworthy number of appearances on several different national television programs. KE7GRV (Terry) and K7SLS (Shel) both asked on the Net if this was not the song in which the group members sing the refrain in a Morse code-like manner. The answer to this question was, yes! Coincidently, or not so coincidently, KB4VYM (Clarke) noted a week later that he had heard "Western Union" played on satellite radio the very next day after the discussion on the Net. It seems like this rather eerie phenomena of discussing something on the Net and then it coming to our attention again shortly thereafter, out of the blue and in the most unexpected place or circumstance, is becoming a fairly common occurrence. This phenomena also happens in reverse when a Net member hears a particular song, or hears news on a certain recording artist or band and then I discuss the same on the next Net, unbeknownst to me beforehand. I seem to have digressed from the topic of The Five Americans and "Western Union", but the number of "coincidences" we share on the Net is something that almost sends shivers down my spine at times. I do wonder what is going on, but also remember what "Coast2Coastam" national radio program show host George Noory always says about coincidence. "There really are no coincidences..... everything happens for a reason". Ah, maybe George is right. At any rate, and back to "Western Union", someone just recently asked if there was any significance to the dits and dahs (Morse code) sung by the group in the song...... in other words, were they actually spelling out words in code? Thanks to K7DMF's (Dave) wife, Patty, research showed that there were no words spelled in code in the song; perhaps singing the refrain in this manner was simply a unique way to reflect the days when Western Union messages were indeed sent in Morse code via telegraph.

The 1960s Nostalgia Net Spring Luncheon was held on Saturday, March 21 at Macayo's Mexican Restaurant in Casa Grande. The number of Net members attending was small, but those in attendance had a great time of fellowship and conversation and some very tasty Mexican food. Net members present were:

K7DMF (Dave) and wife Patty
KE7GRV (Terry)
K1ATV (Bil)
K7JHK (John)
N7LQR (John) and wife Stephanie
      
Please don't forget that your suggestions, comments and questions for the website, "CQ Hams Still Groovin' In The 60s" are always welcome!

If you live in southcentral Arizona, are visiting, or just passing through, please join us on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm for the Net on the 224.500 repeater (N7EOJ) located at 9,100' above Tucson in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Everyone "into the '60s" is welcome!

73',
John  N7LQR
Maricopa, Arizona