Friday Is Always Coming In Athens! Welcome Rare Earth

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT...

I think you missed your calling as a DJ! Nicki S.

Keep 'em coming!! I really enjoy listening to "my kind of music". Thank you. Mary M.

I like getting your email every Friday, keep it coming!

Carlas A.

DON'T FORGET THE 'QUEEN OF SOUL'........ ARETHA!!!!! YOUR MAKING MY FRIDAYS. RONK

MY FRIENDS REALLY LIKE FRIDAY IN ATHENS! ONE IS SENDING EVERYONE AT THE COURTHOUSE AN EMAIL. Ron H.

THANKS SO MUCH EACH WEEK! Nancy W.

This makes me smile! Ray C.

Great job, keep up the good work. Terry T.

I SAVE UNTIL FRI AFTERNOON, BY 5:00 P.M. I'M REVVVVED!!! RONK

Thanks for this humanitarian service to get us crunk for district wide planning. Wilson Pickett reminds us to put a “spotlight on Otis Redding y’all”. Yeah,yeah, oh yeah. Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-Faaa! Karl S.

Thanks. What a pleasant surprise to get to work and open this e-mail- glad I started with yours first. Melanie B.

Thanks for the Friday emails Larry!! I really enjoy them.

Kim S.

Thanks for the sound of good music. I really do love my oldies but goodies.

Thanks!!! This is great! Jane B.

Great site! How about some Sam Cooke???

Thanks for the music! Steve P.

I love this! Thanks. Dianne M.

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your

Friday emails. Thanks for including me! Betsy K.

I appreciate the link – good stuff! Jon W.

I LIKE IT!!!!!! Thanks and HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Barbara S.

THIS IS GREAT!!!!!! Susan R.

So in your spare time you try to cheer up everyone? Thanks, Lori R.

I love these songs. Thanks. Terri S.

Awesome……Thanks for doing this, we all look forward to it every week. I’ve sent it to everyone I know! Debi D.

I needed this today! Thanks. Susan S.

Good selection for this fabulous Friday!!!!!

Thanks for the Music this morning. I think I could listen to this all day, if people didn’t think I was crazy for MOVING in my chair. Have a great weekend. Joyce G.

This is awesome! Thanks, Debi D.

Rare Earth

In 1961 a group of high school buddies formed a band and called it "The Sunliners".After playing for about seven years the group decided to change the name of the band. Hence forth comes "Rare Earth".

Motown Record Corporation approached Rare Earth in the latter part of 1968 to sign a recording contract. At first the group was reluctant to sign because of knowing of other white groups and artists before them that had not had any success because Motown was geared for promotion and distribution in the black market only. It was when Motown decided they wanted to launch a new division of Motown to cater to white artists that Rare Earth started to seriously consider signing.

Motown did not have a name for the new division and label so jokingly the band suggested the name Rare Earth. Unbelievably they agreed. That convinced the band that Motown was serious about making Rare Earth their first successful white band and they were going to sign more white acts to be on the "Rare Earth" Label. To clear up a long time false statement that Rare Earth was the only white act to ever be signed with Motown, Rare Earth was the one and only successful white band to be signed with Motown. Rare Earth was with Motown from 1968 to 1978.

Motown wanted an album from Rare Earth immediately after signing.

Rare Earth was playing bars for several years prior to signing with Motown. Motown music at that time was very strong on the radio so Rare Earth was playing a lot of Motown songs in clubs. Thus the bands roots developed from R&B music. Most people in the beginning thought Rare Earth to be black. Surprise, surprise. The band had been playing the song "Get Ready" in clubs for about a year or two prior to recording it. It started out a 3 minute song until one member took a solo and then everyone wanted a solo so over time the song became 21 minutes long. It became the closing song each night and people liked it so much they would stay just to hear it.

The band decided that "Get Ready" would be Rare Earth's first recording, to be 21 minutes long and to be one whole side of the first album. Motown was leery about doing this but the band insisted because radio was starting to play album cuts which were longer than the normal 3 minute single. "Get Ready" first broke in Washington D.C. in the black market, spread across the country and eventually into the white market. It was a huge hit selling millions of records and remaining on the charts for almost 3 years. Some of Rare Earth's other hits from 1969 to 1974 were songs such as "Big Brother","Born to wander", "Tobacco road", "Losin You", and "I Just Want To Celebrate".

Information courtesy of www.rareearth.com