George Clooney: "Please Check In !!!"

(Top photo above) "The Conservatory" was one of the Midwest, USA's, most popular and successful dance clubs and was known for it's underlit dance floor, extremely posh interior, great music, and lot's and lots of "The Beautiful People." That's me, microphone in hand, preparing to host one of our annual Halloween contests.

(Middle photo above) That's me, relaxing in The Conservatory's private V.I.P. "Members Only" section, which was located upstairs and featured a totally glass wall, on the entire north side, overlooking the crowded dancefloor below. The V.I.P. club was visited, on a regular basis, by countless national celebrities.

(Bottom photo above) No...it's not "The Adams Family!" It's just me sitting in one of the two massive chairs located in the foyer, immediately to your left, as you entered the building. The club's prime location, on the banks of the Ohio river just across the bridge from downtown Cincinnati, made it the area's most sought after dance venue for the young George Clooney and many others.

I was very sorry to hear...

when I awoke this morning, about the unfortunate motorcycle wreck, on September 21, 2007, in which an old friend of mine, George Clooney, and his girlfriend, Sarah Larson, were involved in and...luckily...walked away from...with relatively minor injuries. This was apparently the third such two-wheel mishap for George and, if what I read in PEOPLE magazine is true, it will not be enough to dissuade him from continuing to mount those manly, motored machines in the future. He is a trouper. I know that firsthand. When his doctors clear him to do so, he will, once again, rise to the challenge I am absolutely certain.

I used to spend several days per week, and I do mean each and every week, with George Clooney standing about three feet beside me in the most swank and hip nightclub in all of the Greater Cincinnati area. It was an absolutely beautiful structure located directly on the banks of the Ohio river in Covington, Kentucky—just across the bridge from downtown Cincinnati. In fact, this piece of real estate was the only “disco” in the city which was designed by an architect and built brand new, from the ground up, to be a “disco.” All other such establishments in the city were “conversions” in which existing structures were remodeled to take advantage of the record hopping phase that was taking the entire world by storm, back then, as John Travolta was dancing his way into the hearts of nearly each and every woman that packed the “Saturday Night Fever”movie halls to watch him. This picturesque, ultra-modern, and extremely popular establishment was called “The Conservatory” and anyone over forty, who lived here back then, knows that place and will remember it fondly. It was one of those rare sort of places where “The magic happened” and it left behind a legacy that hasn't been surpassed ever since.

“The Conservatory” got its name from the beautiful, actual conservatory, that you saw, directly in front of you, as you made your way through the very tall, elaborate, ornately carved, wooden doors that let you in.. One of the very rare, fan shaped, plants in “The Conservatory” which dwarfed all passers by (a plant whose Latin name escapes me at the moment) was one of only two that size, in the country, and was valued at over $100,000 all by itself. Through those big wooden front doors, of “The Conservatory” walked many of, what one of my ex-bosses used to call, “The Beautiful People” and........George Clooney was one of them.

How do I know all this? I know this because, between 1977 and 1983, I was the DJ/Entertainment Director for “The Conservatory” and was at the top of my game. I was living the dream life in the dream job after paying my dues in every tiny nook and cranny club, or hole in the wall, I could possibly make a living in. I became one of the highest paid nightclub DJ's in my area of the country--performing an almost "make believe" job I loved so much. I was happy to be entertaining, not only the local masses, but also some of the nation's, and perhaps even the world's, biggest and most recognizable celebrities.

“Wow!” is all I could say, and all I could think, as both myself, and a very professional management team, worked together as a unit and proceeded to put long lines of customers at those doors each and every week. It was never unusual, but rather it was normal, to have a long line of patrons, and a two-hour wait, just to get in. Some of our "Regulars” would drive two plus hours (one way) from cities as far away as both Indianapolis, Indiana and the Ohio state capitol, Columbus, Ohio,. just to be there and enjoy the experience.

“Why do that?” you say......

Well, you just had to be there.

Some things are hard to put into words.

New York City had “Studio 54” and

We had “The Conservatory.”

And so it was...while working my job in the DJ booth....of “The Conservatory”...that I met and became friends with George Clooney--who always stood next to me, on my left side, where the view of the girls was best!

more to come........later!

But, before I go....

If anyone happens to have any snapshots or photographs of the legendary Midwest nightclub “The Conservatory” please let me know. I would love to, not only see them, but to share them with others right here.

PERSONAL MEMO:

George, if you're out there...and not too bruised up...

It's been a while...(too long)...So

Please check in !!!

Rick Derringer

TOP PHOTO ABOVE: I affectionately call this exclusive © 2007 photo “Two Ricks.” It was seen for the very first time ever, just this year, when first published by THE OFFICIAL DAN HARTMAN TRIBUTE WEBSITE. It was taken on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati, Ohio, immediately following Rick's outdoor concert performance there a few years ago.

MIDDLE PHOTO ABOVE: Always a favorite of the ladies, that's a younger Rick Derringer as he appeared on one of his earlier album covers.

BOTTOM PHOTO ABOVE: Pulled from deeeeeeep within my own personal archives...is another © 2007 exclusive, never before seen, photo of Rick as he appears today. It was taken on August 13, 2006, during yet another Derringer outdoor performance in one of Cincinnati, Ohio's upscale northern suburbs. When someone in the crowd yelled out and asked if he was going to be playing his Gibson “Les Paul” model guitar...Rick smiled...and stated the guitar he would be using, for that day's show (shown in photo), just happens to be a “Rick Derringer Model," custom-made only for him, and is “The finest guitar in the world!”

Strangely enough, nobody seemed to mind that at all!

A REAL High Caliber Derringer

Moving forward past the unexpected thrill of Dan Hartman's website publishing my previous article entitled “Revisiting The Edgar Winter/Dan Hartman/James Brown Connection,” and the joy it has caused me to feel, knowing I am now officially on record as being included, right along side the likes of Edgar Winter, and the many other fine individuals selected to publicly share their memories of Dan on THE OFFICIAL DAN HARTMAN TRIBUTE WEBSITE...which is located here:

www.DanHartman.com

I find it only logical to now be able to discuss someone who, according to a recent article I read, is allegedly supposed to be one of Rock's most “under-rated” guitarists, Rick Derringer. I am not sure if I agree with that assessment or not. Everyone I know in the Rock & Roll business knows him. In fact, most have known him for years. In my extensive travels, I easily find the name "Derringer" associated with very high caliber guitar work both live and in the studio. He has been producing in the studio since he was a kid and I doubt if too many artists would pass up the opportunity to have him behind the board when they're recording. Furthermore, I don't think I've ever met so much as one decent rock guitarist, in the business, who has not heard Rick Derringer's massive hit single "Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo." When the truth is known, I'm almost certain that most, if not all, of them can crank up their amps and belt that tune out on their instruments too.

If you happened to read my full and complete profile, which should be present right now, on the far right-hand side of this very page, then you know I happen like versatility. I admire those who excel in more than one thing. Furthermore, a lot can be said about those who are, in fact, versatile in being able to consistantly remain gainfully employed in one of the world's most competitive businesses. No doubt, Rick Derringer, who is the subject of Steely Dan's single called “Rikki Don't Lose That Number,” is one such individual. He has excelled, not only as one of Rock's guitar greats, but as a damn good producer, as well. Somewhere along the line he met either Steely Dan's Donald Fagen or Walter Becker, or both, and the above mentioned tune references Derringer not forgetting to give them a ring to work on some upcoming recording projects together—which, in fact, they did. Funny...but all this time you probably thought that the song was about a girl. Right? Sure you did!

Derringer scored big...and really big too...while just a young and naive, sixteen or seventeen-year old kid, with his band, The McCoys. Their 1965 classic hit single “Hang On Sloopy” went all the way to number one on the charts and is still being played today. During a live radio interview, on August 13, 2006, he told long-time Cincinnati radio DJ, Jim “The Music Professor” LaBarbara, that “We were all kids,” at the time, and “got screwed” out of the money for the Sloopy single. But he went on to say that he has no regrets because it was that one hit record which set in motion a very long and extensive career which, even today, remains in full swing. The once sixteen-year old kid, with a smash hit record, has managed to build a very long lasting and versatile career since his childhood days. In the "Post-Sloopy Era" and the early childhood fame it brought, and despite getting “screwed” out of the money for that hit, Derringer's outlook on life remains both happy and healthy. I like that attitude! I like it a lot. How many sixteen or seventeen-year olds, including YOU, when you were that age, would know what to do in the same, or similar, circumstances? How many twenty-five year olds could even handle it?

Somewhere in time, after finding early and totally unexpected success with The McCoys, Derringer would later meet, as well as perform with, Texas blues legend Johnny Winter, and Johnny's band, which later became internationally known as a band called “Johnny Winter And.” While a lot of people are very familiar with the group “Johnny Winter And,” most of those same people are completely unaware that the name of Johnny Winter's band was originally supposed to be called:

“Johnny Winter & The McCoys”

but was later shortened to the streamlined, three-word version that Johnny's record label eventually used.

Since then, Rick Derringer has produced and toured with many name performers and will never be forgotten as a long-term band member and producer of Edgar Winter, with whom his association dates back thirty plus years. Even to this very day, it is not, at all, uncommon to see Derringer and Edgar Winter on the same concert venue performing together.

As a solo artist, Derringer's “Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo” has also become another classic rock hit for which he can be proud. As producer, his credits are long and notable. They are far too extensive to name here. He always has been terrific as both a stellar guitarist and as a person too. In the several times he and I have crossed paths, over the years, Rick Derringer has always been a complete gentleman. His reputation in the business is excellent and his feet remain firmly planted on solid ground--as producer, performer, husband, and father. Everybody likes him. In fact, I can honestly say that, unlike some of the other widely known jerks and prima donnas out there, I know of no one who doesn't always manage a kind word in reference to one of Rock's musical mainstays, Rick Derringer. After all, he is a fellow child of The Midwest, born right here in the corn country of good ole' Ohio, who was later to grow up, just across the state border from us, in the small town of Union City, Indiana. He has never forgotten his roots and returns home often...and everybody around these parts is always happy to see him when he does.

Rick is exceptional!

You can count on hearing more from me about him at a later date.

The Dan Hartman Tribute Website

My Personal Thanks To Everyone Over At Dan Hartman's Tribute Site ~ You're Great!

PHOTO ABOVE: Taken directly from my own personal collection, is the extended, twelve-inch, dance version of a HUGE Dan Hartman hit. Any dance DJ, who made a living playing dance records in the 1970's – 1980's, needed to own multiple copies of this disc for backup purposes. It was played so often the vinyl wore out!

I would like to thank Jonathan and the entire staff over at The Dan Hartman Tribute Website, which is located at: www.danhartman.com for all the kind words spoken, in a personal letter sent, to me, within less than twenty-four hours, after the initial publishing of my brand new feature article here entitled “Revisiting The Edgar Winter/Dan Hartman/James Brown Connection.” I was inspired to write that article after waking up on Christmas Day and learning of the passing of music great James Brown. After stopping by here and reading the article, The Official Dan Hartman Tribute Site called the work “brilliant.” Wow! How flattering, indeed! If you hop on over to their site (And I sure hope you do!), you will quickly see they wasted no time in placing the entire feature article online for all of their many family, friends, and other visitors to see.

Once you arrive at Dan's Tribute Site, if you would like to read my article, there are two ways in which you will be able to find it:

First: After the site loads, look directly underneath the large photo

of Dan and you will see the word “NEW!” and click on

“The James Brown Connection.”

Second: Click on my name, which is now included, on the left hand

side of the main page, under the heading:

"Memories Of Dan Hartman"

It is indeed a privilege to have my own personal memories, of the life and times of Dan, included right along with those of Edgar Winter, Neil Sedaka, Dan's sister Kathy Hartman, Edgar Winter Group drummer Chuck Ruff, and others.

Also, I don't want to forget to mention that the non-profit, Dan Hartman Foundation, is doing some great work in carrying on his legacy by awarding both grants and scholarships to budding young artists. Please set aside a few moments of your time and go on over and pay a friendly visit to The Official Dan Hartman Tribute Website.

Edgar Winter's White Trash

EDGAR WINTER'S WHITE TRASH--One of the best of our nation's top white boy, R&B, horn bands. Their double-record album entitled "Roadwork" also featured brother Johnny, as well as guitarist/producer Rick Derringer, and defined the mixture of Gospel, Soul, Jazz, and Rock which made Edgar a Rock & Roll favorite to this very day.

Revisiting The Edgar Winter/Dan Hartman/ James Brown Connection

How It Gave The Godfather His Much Needed Boost In 1986 TOP PHOTO ABOVE: Edgar Winter discovery, the multi-talented Dan Hartman, is shown on the far right, wearing a silver jacket, in this band photo MIDDLE PHOTO ABOVE: Edgar Winter--wearing one of his signature neck-worn keyboards BOTTOM PHOTO ABOVE: Another photo of Dan Hartman, shown wearing the red jacket, in the upper left of this Edgar Winter Group album photo
Far too little has been written about the Edgar Winter/Dan Hartman/James Brown connection and, since nobody else seems to be interested in doing it, allow me to put it back on the table for all of you funksters out there to take note of. I know the story. I want you to know it too. In fact, it is long overdue that someone finally takes the time and effort to re-tell it. I was there, working full-time in the music business when it all went down, and I know the story. Let me tell it to you exactly as I saw it unfold back in the 1970's through the late 1980's. If you're a James Brown fan, you should know this story. Why? Because, in the late 1980's, it is this very connection that was responsible for delivering, to James, a very much needed “shot in the arm” comeback hit, that completely rejuvenated his (at that time) sagging and lackluster career. It is an amazing story, and it involves primarily three people: Edgar Winter, Dan Hartman, and, finally, The Godfather Of Soul.
Edgar Winter and his brother Johnny are both stars. They are both great musicians. While Johnny has taken the low road as primarily a nondescript blues player and singer, it is his three years younger brother, Edgar, who always operates with enough pomp, flash, and amazing showmanship to hold captive even the hungriest of music-starved rock audiences anywhere. He is one of the most decent and nicest guys in the business I have ever met.. The same can be said for his long time manager, Teddy Slatus, who was always professional each and every time I had occasion to deal with him. During my stint as a locally syndicated newspaper columnist, I published feature articles on two of Edgar's bands and that was the first time I met him. During his outdoor concert at The University Of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium, I was asked to help with controlling part of the elaborate on stage lighting system which, indeed, was a great thrill for me. Edgar is not only a great musician and songwriter, but he is also one hell of a terrific showman. While he plays a fantastic, and very soulful saxophone, most people know Edgar as being the guy, in flowing capes (sound familiar?) who plays his signature, worn around the neck, keyboard. His massive instrumental hit “Frankenstein” has become a rock classic. I once saw him perform when the entire arena went dark, except for Edgar's “Day Glow” painted hands which totally captivated everybody as we watched them effortlessly dance across the neck-worn keys. During the time period when Clive Davis was the head of Columbia Records, The Edgar Winter Group was headlining massive arena concerts with his new, stripped down, four-piece band.. His former, and much larger, musical organization was a Texas horn band called “Edgar Winter's White Trash” which will live on, in infamy, as being, (along with Boston's J. Geils Band, Oakland, California's Tower Of Power, and Scotland's Average White Band) one of the world's finest, but extremely rare, white boy R&B acts. If you don't believe me, get yourself a copy of their fantastic “Roadwork” album and you will become an instant believer. Although Edgar continues, even today, working hard in both studio and live venues (he recently finished touring as a member of Ringo Starr's “All Starr Band”), it was during the height of popularity, for the The Edgar Winter Group, that the world began to take note of the tremendous talent and ability of Edgar Winter Group bassist Dan Hartman.
It was backstage, in Edgar Winter's dressing room at The University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium, that I met the late Dan Hartman. Dan took to music well, as a child prodigy, and was a member of his brother's rock band at the ripe old age of thirteen. He sent in a demo tape to Edgar's Blue Sky management company (later to become Blue Horizons) and, as a result, his talents were first displayed before a national audience only due to Edgar having the good sense and forethought to hire him. He was, like Paul McCartney, Prince, Bootsy Collins, and a dear friend of mine, the late Roger Troutman (of the group Zapp), one of those rare breed of musicians that could do everything. He played every instrument, knew his studio production techniques inside out, was a good singer, and wrote great songs too. In fact, the Edgar Winter Group's second largest hit “Free Ride” was penned by him before he ever even joined the group.
While he had become a member of The Edgar Winter Group in the early 1970's, he departed the band in the mid 70's, just when Disco was taking its hold. His very first recording after leaving the band, “Instant Replay,” reached Number One on the U.S. dance music charts and featured the exceptional saxophone work of Edgar himself. To put it mildly, the record was a smashing success. Few records in the entire history of what became known as “Disco” could top it. It was played, and played, and then played some more, by every dance music DJ everywhere. I cannot stress enough how much of a classic disco tune that song was and still is.
Subsequent Dan Hartman hits ensued, such as “Vertigo/Relight My Fire” (which featured the vocals of Loleatta Holloway), “Hands Down” (featuring harmonica by Stevie Wonder), “We Are The Young”, as well as the tremendously popular “I Can Dream About You” which was featured in the movie “Streets Of Fire.” In the Southwest Ohio dance market, with which I was very familiar, he scored yet again, and big, with a hugely popular dance floor favorite, I helped to promote for him here, called “Countdown.”
After achieving his immense success with “I Can Dream About You”, Hartman shifted the main focus of his career and dedicated most of his time to producing other artists--such as Tina Turner (“Simply The Best”), Joe Cocker ("Unchain My Heart"), Nona Hendryx, Loleatta Holloway, as well as writing and producing songs that were used in movies such as "Ruthless People" and "Bull Durham". He also wrote and produced an extremely popular song for the motion picture “Rocky IV”. What was it...you ask? Well.....it was a song which became the biggest-selling hit record for James Brown, in fifteen years, called “Living In America” and it also earned him a Grammy Award, for Best Male Vocalist of 1987, and, hence, we now come full circle in the Edgar Winter/Dan Hartman/James Brown connection.
Dan Hartman, like The Godfather Of Soul, himself, is no longer with us. His career, as well as his life, was tragically ended at the very young age of only 43. Don't ask me how he died. I don't like talking about it--except to say that no one...and I truly do mean no one...should be subjected to, and forced to die, that kind of death. I take off my hat to such greats as Elizabeth Taylor, Elton John, Madonna, and others, who have donated and helped raise the multi-millions of dollars necessary to fund research in an attempt to finally stop it. I miss Dan Hartman. We all will miss James Brown. But thank-you, Edgar Winter, for having the ability to see what nobody before you could see—and for bringing to the nation, and to the world, the immense talents of an extraordinary musician and producer who is sorely missed... Dan Hartman!

The James Brown Tribute Statue

AUGUSTA, GA: For those who have never before seen it, this is the large bronze statue of James Brown which can be found in the 800 block of Augusta's Broad Street.

They Don't Write 'Em Like That Anymore

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, it's 2007 now...Taking a look back through the past year...We not only said good-bye to The Godfather Of Soul and to former President Gerald Ford...But, on February 24, 2006, we bid adieu to a true genius of comedy, Don Knotts. Although those shows were produced before color TV was even invented, I still watch them. I have seen most, if not all of them, before. Did you ever notice that, regardless of when you tuned Andy and Barney in, there wasn't one show that was not suitable for the entire family? Not a swear word ever said...Not one topic unsuitable for the children to see...Nothing sexual...Nothing dirty...and it was totally violence free. Yet still, after forty-plus years, Barney Fife makes me laugh! What a great tribute to family style television the way it is supposed to be--television that actually had ethics and morals and a positive lesson for the kids to learn. You can call it what you want. I choose to call it wholesome entertainment, with strong family values, that has withstood the test of time and offers us living proof that something does not need to be vulgar and dirty, or full of senseless violence, in order to be funny and entertaining to viewers of ALL ages. It was excellent in every way. Excellence knows no time limit--it will always shine through. Generations upon generations of future television viewers, including those not even born yet, will be watching ole' Andy and Barney. They don't write 'em like that anymore. But...Don't you wish they did? Happy 2007 to all!