For Now, Dick Clark.... So Long.

[Calma]

The Oldest Teenager has passed.

Oh, how I'd eagerly await the late afternoon for American Bandstand.
I caught the dancing bug from that show.
Learned to love Rock 'n Roll from the man.

He will be missed.

For Now, Dick Clark.... So long.

[rwhen]

Oh dear!!!

I hadn't heard this yet.

Like you Calma, Dick Clark's American Bandstand was a must in our house every weekend!!! I loved to watch the dancing and see the groups.

He really hung in there and always looked so youthful for many many years. I read not that long ago that he was having health issues.

I hope he went peacefully!! He will be missed by so many.

*salutes* So long and thank you for the decades of music and New Year's Eve rockin'.



Edited:

http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.m ... at-82?lite

This says he passed of a heart attack.

[Morwenna]

Same Here!! I just heard from people in the office. I lived and breathed that show, from the moment it landed on our local ABC station. And I faithfully watched his Saturday night show too.

Rest in peace, Dick.

[Calma]

American Bandstand Theme

Just so we can hear it one more time...


I met him once.
It was just after I was married and he was in Seattle doing a car show.
He looked just as young as he did on tv and was super nice.
He signed my LP.
I was so happy to have been able to meet one of my childhood idols.

[rwhen]

Calma, thanks for the link.

I think that is very cool that you actually met him and got an autograph.

He was 82 and I think it is fair to say that he lived a very full and fulfilling life.

Again, he will be missed by generations.

[Vanaladiel]

I don't think that we would be where we are musically nor that it would be as big of a thing without the likes of Dick Clark bringing it to our homes and lives in such a wide spread fashion. He will surely be missed by both young and old! He was the man that never aged till his stroke a few years ago, I think 2005. I am not sure you could find anyone who does not know his name.

REST IN PEACE SIR!! We will dearly miss your smile!!

[portia]

It was great to hear the theme again (although I was humming it while watching the commercial before the video). It has a good beat and you can dance to it. What more can we want?

I, also, was glued to the TV, listening to the music, practicing the dance moves, watching for my favorite South Philly-ites (a world removed from San Diego County, but united by music).

Well, he is in good company; what a show they must be having up there!

[Morwenna]

Indeed! Remember the "Rock and Roll Heaven" song? Well, he's up there hosting the show!

We had it good around 1960 where I was: at 3:30 on Channel 8 Connecticut Bandstand came on, followed by American Bandstand for an hour (they left out the last half hour where we were), but then change channels to pick up Channel 30 Dance Party. Five days a week. I loved every second. :D:D

[portia]

Morwenna, your comment stirred up memories at odds with what some of the TV commentaries have been saying. I also recall it being on weekday afternoons, rather than Saturday. So I checked that "font of all knowledge" Wikipedia and it confirmed my memory.

(Later:It was apparently filmed on Saturday and parts were broadcast all week).

I watched from whenever it started to be broadcast on a San Diego station (sometimes we could get LA) until 1963 when I went off to college and had no more time for TV. It really had an impact on my life, as I was a fairly hopeless nerd/dork/square person except for learning how to dance from the show.

[IrisBrandybuck]

I never watched American Bandstand, but I remember $100,000 pyramid and his bloopers shows.

He's a peace now.

[rwhen]

I was raised in Las Vegas Morwenna/portia and it was FOR SURE on Saturday. Now if there were shows during the week, it is news to me. Back in the day we only got three stations in Las Vegas.

It is possible being out so isolated in the desert we didn't get more channels.

[FrodoTook]

I, too, was raised on American Bandstand. I looked forward to it...enjoying the music and after just now looking up some links..remember how much I enjoyed Dick Clark's persona and voice. It was a very cool show and I am so glad I experienced it. I remember "The top ten scoreboard" very well.

American Bandstand turned me onto music which I might not have known about as early as I did. My mom and dad were into country music. I had heard some Elvis and Buddy Holly before then but American Bandstand definitely did broaden my horison of music. It actually opened the floodgate. For that, I remain forever grateful.

I did find American Bandstand Remember the 60's

It has some vivid scenes of the 60's with some very cool musical accompliment.

I hope you take the time to enjoy it.

Anyone else remember Rate the record?

I definitely do. Cool to see this video...It is cool to see again the audience get up and dance while others decided what to rate the record. Very cool memory.

[rwhen]

Hey FT...I also found this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E5xy6gj ... re=related

About had me in tears ten times. So many great singers/muscians that are no longer with us.

I loved the tritube to the 60's YouTube that you posted and I do so remember "rate the record".

[FrodoTook]

Jules,

You beat me to posting that link. I was enjoying it, copied it and was about to share it.

I came back here and saw you had.

Way cool Jules.

Dear one...It did have me in tears.

Good dear tears and I Thank You so much for sharing.

So cool for me that relate to this.

==========

Hey folks

rwhens link goes to a video 14 minutes 55 seconds long and it is worth every second of it.

I really do like Kim Carnes song...Betty Davis Eyes...I always have. Grand to hear it again. Absolutely love her voice.

Walla Walla Bing Bang

[FrodoTook]

rwhen

This gloriously continues yours with some very cool Motown plus some cool reggae music by Stevie Wonder.

14:55 in duration.


"Lots" of very cool music.

==============

With The Beach Boys 1964

Interesting interview.

==============

With Stevie Wonder 1969

Dick is such a cool host.

==============

With Pure Prairie League 1980

Very cool..check out Vince Gill with long hair.

By the way, Pure Prairie League remains a favorite band of mine.

[Calma]

While in Philly, American Bandstand was on 5 days a week.(M-F)
It was later after it moved to LA that it went to Saturdays only.

ps... Kim Carnes did *Betty Davis Eyes* Not Juice Newton who did *Queen of Hearts*

[FrodoTook]

Thanks so much for the correction Calma

I have corrected my post.

Juice Newton's *Queen of Hearts* is definitely one of my favs too.

~Goes looking for it~

===============

I now say...thank you Dick Clark...for turning me onto music and for being a such a very cool host.

You were at the right place at the right time for me. You influenced me..in a very good way.

[portia]

OH my; Oh my; Oh my.

Looking at those clips makes me feel like Methuselah's grandmother!!!

The Stroll. Lordy how I practiced that before the after-game dances on Friday nights!

And I loved a 1964 clip I found of the Beach Boys (my all-time favorites). The sound was there, but the guys hadn't a clue what to do with their hands!!

But thanks, anyway, for posting the links.

[rwhen]

Thanks FT for all the research you did, took me right down memory lane to be sure.

portia, I was just under age for the "slide", but before the Twist!! And I also practiced dancing to American Bandstand.

Fun times!!

[FrodoTook]

So glad to see so many have fond memories of American Bandstand. Your posts are bringing back more memories to me and I thank you for that.

Many videos dedicated to American Bandstand including 11 about the 30th anniversary and so many more.

I hope you take the time to enjoy them.

I am enjoying them now as I type.

One of the many more included in the above link...beyond just the 30th anniversary collection ....is this 2 minute 58 second clip..which I found to be a
nice dedication to Dick Clark.

By the way, one of my earliest memories of American Bandstand is seeing what was called "The Sit Down Dance".

Anyone else remember that?

[Calma]

OH my; Oh my; Oh my.

Looking at those clips makes me feel like Methuselah's grandmother!!!

The Stroll. Lordy how I practiced that before the after-game dances on Friday nights!

And I loved a 1964 clip I found of the Beach Boys (my all-time favorites). The sound was there, but the guys hadn't a clue what to do with their hands!!

But thanks, anyway, for posting the links.

*Is Methuselah's great grandmother...*
Girl, I can still DO the Stroll, and the Twist, and the Lindy, and the bop and the hop...

Gads, somebody stop me.

Oh yeah, the Jerk, the mashed potatoes, the chalipso, the iron horse
The pony...

Ok, I'm leaving now..

Kthxbye...

[portia]

The mashed potatoes and the twist are a part of my workout program. I do the stomp and the stroll when I have a partner.

They are decent exercise.

What good is living a long time if you don't learn anything?

[FrodoTook]

portia said...

What good is living a long time if you don't learn anything?

Very well said / questioned.

[Morwenna]

I had to laugh, re-reading this thread (and when I'm home I'll look at those videos again). I can still do those dances, and because I'm the oldest person in the office now, I startle people when we all start getting silly! But I recall vividly one Saturday morning when I was about 14 or 15. It was the radio, not the TV, but it was on a rock station (or a pop station--same thing in those days) and I was in the bathroom setting my hair. I heard this strange squeaking and shuffling coming from the kitchen where the radio was playing, and I discovered my mother--about 60 at that time herself--doing either the Pony or the Mashed Potato! She too had picked up things from American Bandstand, though one can't say she really watched it...