Posted on 08/16/2018 7:12:01 AM PDT by Red Badger
I read an interview of a manager for what was the Landover Arena at the time. He had to deal with contract riders.
One rock group wanted a specific brand of grand piano (not Steinway) for a performance. Caused all sorts of headaches getting it, and all of one note was played the entire show.
Alice Cooper, OTOH, simply wanted a cold case of Bud in his room.
Awesome album.
Aretha “screamed” the same way top opera singers “scream.” She had an incredible voice.
Back in those days, 1969, it was money.
The later contract riders, especially in the 80’s and 90’s, were just spoiled brat crap..............
Aretha did a lot of good for the people of Detroit, particularly in her old neighborhood on the west side only blocks from the old Motown recording studio (who she never signed with as a matter of fact) and her former church, the New Bethel Baptist Church. She regularly called local TV stations that reported on people who had lost everything in a fire, for instance, and generously gave to get them back on their feet. She always requested that her donations remain anonymous. She hosted an annual block party each summer around this time of year in her old neighborhood and she supported many Detroit organizations that promoted the arts and actively got involved. Aretha Franklin was rare among celebrities of our era, a Christian woman who lived her faith.
Beyoncé screams. Aretha Franklin sang.
Thank you for posting. I’ve never heard a bad word about her.
The most infamous was Van Halen, which demanded there be no Brown M&Ms.
When people can maintain their respect for you in spite of “Freeway of Love,” you’ve done something right.
Her voice was so pure, she didn't have to oversing/drag out the notes, as so many female artists do today.
RIP Aretha.
Nothing wrong with that song, now that duet with George Michael, that was atrocious.
With such a long career, there are bound to be some misses.
She also did a rocking cover of “Jumping Jack Flash” with Keef playing guitar on it.
“The most infamous was Van Halen, which demanded there be no Brown M&Ms.”
The reason some bands do stuff like that is to make sure that the contractors read their agreements very carefully. If you get a contractor who doesn’t appreciate your specific requirements, you get events like Great White’s Providence night club disaster. If they don’t second-guess why there should be no brown M&M’s, they won’t second-guess why there should be no posters covering the side-rear wall.
RIP one of my all time faves and She is so old she remembers when watermelons had seeds
I can’t find her name in that song’s lyrics. She is mentioned in “Hey Nineteen” by Steely Dan.
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