Tom Kenny is a national--international!--treasure. He's also a Syracuse treasure, a participant in the same vibrant late '70s/early '80s local music scene that Dana and I loved so much, the scene that gave the world the Flashcubes, Maura Kennedy, Chris von Sneidern, the Penetrators, and many others. He found fame as a talented and celebrated voice actor; to us, he's so much more than that.
I've written about Tom before (check here, here, and here for reference), but this paragraph bears repeating:
"...long before he was your SpongeBob Squarepants, your Mayor or your Narrator [on The Powerpuff Girls], before he became the Penguin or Plastic Man or any one of the many, many other voice roles he made his own, he was our Tomcat, the lead singer of the Tearjerkers. Back in the '70s and early '80s, Tom was a kid from Central New York, a budding star that everyone liked, that everyone rooted for, and whose success today is a boundless source of pride and content for anyone who ever encountered him. Syracuse's favorite son? Yeah. Oh yeah. Without question."
Tom returned to Central New York this month to be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Syracuse Area Music Awards, inducted into The SAMMYS Hall of Fame. His incredible party combo Tom Kenny and the Hi-Seas (featuring the legendary Andy Paley and the ace vocal trio the Damselles) performed at the SAMMYS on March 4th, and at a club show the next evening. Members of the Flashcubes also joined Tom for a couple of numbers on each night, and it was all just amazing.
The afterbuzz of this incredible SAMMYS weekend prompted us to devote some of this week's TIRnRR to TOM KENNY'S VIRTUAL JUKEBOX: not Tom's actual jukebox (because I'm pretty sure he has one), but songs he and/or his Hi-Seas performed at The SAMMYS or at their show at King Of Clubs in Syracuse. What a magic weekend. I am so, so glad I was able to witness it.
But you wanna know what my best enduring memory of this weekend is going to be? It will be the sight of Tom Kenny's lifelong friend Bobcat Goldthwaite, sitting on the floor in front of the stage area at King of Clubs, looking up at his pal Tom and just freakin' beaming. For hours. He seemed so happy to be there.
That's friendship. That's the connection we can all have through music, art, camaraderie, and any other shared passion, from sports through food, through laughter and commiseration.
Connection. We're all friends here. Bobcat's smile says it all. Congratulations again to the great Tom Kenny. This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on a Sunday night in Syracuse this week.
This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read all about this show's long and weird history here: Boppin' The Whole Friggin' Planet (The History Of THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO).
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http://sparksyracuse.org/support/ TIRnRR # 1120: 3/13/2022 [featuring TOM KENNY'S VIRTUAL JUKEBOX]
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold
*: the asterisks mark songs that Tom Kenny and the Hi-Seas, Tom Kenny with the Flashcubes, or the Damselles with the Hi-Seas performed in Syracuse March 4-5
THE RAMONES: Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio? (Rhino, End Of The Century)
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*THE FLASHCUBES: Do Anything You Wanna Do (Northside, Brilliant)
*SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: The Best Day Ever (Nick, The Best Day Ever)
*THE RONETTES: Be My Baby (Abkco, VA: Wall Of Sound)
*JOHNNY PAYCHECK: She's All I Got (Koch, She's All I Got)
*THE MUSIC EXPLOSION: Little Bit O' Soul (Rhino, VA: Nuggets)
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POP CO-OP: Extra Beat In My Heart (unreleased)
OWSLEY: Oh No The Radio (Giant, Owsley)
*BOBBY LEWIS: Tossin' And Turnin' (Jasmine Music, Mumblin', Tossin' And Turnin')
BONNIE RAITT: Me And The Boys (Warner Brothers, Green Light)
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HOUSE OF SCHOCK: Middle Of Nowhere (Capitol, House Of Schock)
*LARRY WILLIAMS: Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Jasmine Music, Rock, Soul And Roll)
HONEYCHAIN: I'm On Fire (Zero Hour, VA: Twilley Won't Mind)
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*THE MARVELETTES: Too Many Fish In The Sea (Motown, The Definitive Collection)
DAVID BOWIE: Helden (Rykodisc, Sound + Vision)
ARTHUR ALEXANDER: Shot Of R & B (Razor & Tie, Ultimate)
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*PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS: Ooh Poo Pa Do (Sundazed, Mojo Workout!)
MICHAEL CARPENTER: Here She Comes (Zero Hour, VA: Twilley Won't Mind)
ERMA FRANKLIN: Light My Fire (Brunswick, Soul Sister)
R.E.M.: Can't Get There From Here (IRS, Eponymous)
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*SAM COOKE: Twistin' The Night Away (Abkco, Portrait Of A Legend)
HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Directly From My Heart (Damaged Goods, My First Holly Golightly Album) CRAZY ELEPHANT: Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' (Varese Sarabande, VA: Bubblegum Classics Volume Two)
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*JAMES BROWN: It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World (Polydor, 50th Anniversary Collection)
THE ENGLISH BEAT: Tears Of A Clown (Shout Factory, Keep The Beat)
THE DAVE CLARK FIVE: I've Got To Have A Reason (Hollywood, The History Of The Dave Clark Five)
GANG OF FOUR: I Found That Essence Rare (EMI, Entertainment!)
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: Wishin' And Hopin' (Mercury, The Very Best Of Dusty Springfield)
THE HOODOO GURUS: Like Wow-Wipeout! (Rhino, VA: Children Of Nuggets)
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THE CLASH: London's Burning (Epic, Clash On Broadway)
*CONWAY TWITTY: Got My Mojo Workin' (Mercury, The Best Of Conway Twitty Volume One: Rockin' Years)
MAURICE WILLIAMS & THE ZODIACS: Stay (RCA, VA: Dirty Dancing OST)
JEANNIE & THE BIG GUYS: Sticks & Stones (Castle, VA: Beat, Beat, Beat! Volume Two)
THE UNDERTONES: Wrong Way (Rykodisc, The Undertones)
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*JAMES CARR: Pouring Water On A Drowning Man (Kent, The Complete Goldwax Singles)
THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEAR: Vanishing Girl (Rhino, VA: Children Of Nuggets)
*GARY U.S. BONDS: I Wanta Holler (But The Town's Too Small) (Varese Sarabande, The Very Best Of Gary U.S. Bonds)
THE SALVATION ARMY: She Turns To Flowers (Rhino, VA: Children Of Nuggets)
*THE SWINGIN' MEDALLIONS: Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) (Rhino, VA: Nuggets)
THE MUSIC MACHINE: Double Yellow Line (Rhino, VA: Nuggets)
*OTIS REDDING: Shake (Rhino, Otis!)
OWSLEY: I'm Alright (Giant, Owsley)
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THE POWERPUFF GIRLS: Love Makes The World Go 'Round
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