"Not Quite Enough Ado...About The Crew...."

There’s a funny story that gets told about Burt Bacharach.

Seems that Hal David, the lyricist who collaborated on the majority of the huge hits that he and Burt created in the sixties and seventies, and his wife, the lovely Mrs. David, were attending a party just about the time that the popularity of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” was peaking.

Mrs. David was small talking with a group of fellow minglers and couldn’t help but overhear a conversation that was going on in the group of small talking minglers just behind her.

One woman, in particular, was quite vocal in her praise of the talent she exalted.

“Have you heard that amazing Burt Bacharach song, “Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head?”, she gushed.
Mrs. David sipped and ignored.

“I mean, that Burt Bacharach is just incredible…and that new song of his, “Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head…oh, my…”
Mrs. David sipped and ignored.

“It’s just stunning what a magnificent song that “Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head” is and that talented Burt Bacara……..”

Mrs. David turned and politely tapped the lady on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” the missus gently spoke…”but…..HAL DAVID wrote “Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head……..Burt Bacharach wrote (imagine hearing the melody) “dum dum de dum de dum dad um”.

The point is, credit where its due, is that credit often doesn’t arrive where it’s due.
Case in point…this week’s induction of the world class band of studio musicians known, in the sixties, as The Wrecking Crew.

Here’s a link where you can read the gist of it.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/the%20wrecking%20crew%20inducted%20into%20rockwalk_1072669

And while Glen Campbell, Hal Blaine and Don Randi were certainly members of the elite gang, there were many, many talented folks who completed the picture.

Here’s a list from Wilkipedia:

guitar: Glen Campbell, Barney Kessel, Tommy Tedesco, Billy Strange, Don Peake, Carol Kaye, Al Casey
saxophone: Steve Douglas, Jay Migliori, Jim Horn, Plas Johnson
trumpet: Tony Terran, Ollie Mitchell
keyboards: Leon Russell, Mac Rebennack (aka Dr. John), Mike Melvoin, Don Randi, Larry Knechtel, Al Delory
bass: Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn, Max Bennett, Chuck Berghofer, Ray Pohlman, Larry Knechtel, Lyle Ritz, Jimmy Bond (007)
drums: Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer, Jim Gordon
percussion: Julius Wechter, Gary Coleman
conductor/arranger: Jack Nitzsche
The Ron Hicklin Singers often performed backup vocals on many of the same songs on which The Wrecking Crew had played instrumental tracks.

And, in fairness, I wasn’t at the ceremony, so I don’t know how much credit each of the members got from Glen, Don and Hal in the speechifying that surely accompanied the special occasion. But star power being what it is, I imagine Glen got the lion’s share of the spotlight.

And don’t get me wrong. I’m sure Glen, of all people, knows the contributions that were made by each and every one, including my dear friend Billy Strange and the ground breaking, ceiling shattering female bassist Carol Kaye.

Don’t mean to bash anybody here, either.

Just wanted to jump and down a little from the street here as the bandwagon rolls by, by way of alerting you to the fact that a lot of very talented people deserve equal time and attention for the history making music they made together.

Sum of the parts and all that.

So, congrats and hats off to all of you on the Wrecking Crew for what you have given to pop music.

Oh…and the opening line…that “there’s a funny story told about Burt Bacharach?”

The story was actually about Hal David.

Sorry, Mrs.