Stars and Cars Mar 5, 1994 (30 years ago) Joe Robbie Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida, United States
STARS, CARS OF '50S AND '60S Rev up the '57 Chevy and drive down Memory Lane this weekend as radio station WMXJ (Majic 102.7) stages a classic car show, carnival and benefit concert at Joe Robbie Stadium. The event will benefit Majic's Children Fund, which raises money year-round for South Florida children's charities, including Children's Home Society, Covenant House and United Cerebral Palsy. You want stars? There are few that shine brighter than the Four Tops, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Johnny Rivers and the Everly Brothers. The Everly Brothers now make their home in Nashville, Tenn., keeping them connected to the classic country pop music of their roots. Their first big hit, Bye Bye Love in 1957, sold more than 2 million copies. They are credited as one of the most influential duos in the history of recorded music, making their early appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. They were two of the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other hits include Wake Up Little Susie, Cathy's Clown and Problems. "We love doing these classic rock 'n' roll shows," says Don Everly from his ranch in Nashville. "The audiences are great and still love us, so we must still be doing something right." Everly loves his quiet family life in Nashville, where he reads, sees lots of movies and keeps up with country music. "Country is really coming back to pop music ground, " he says, "although it looks kind of Madison Avenue rather than country to me. They just dress 'em up and put 'em in videos. But I think it's great that you can sing about mom and dad and the dog and get away with it. It's family music. I really love it, it's what I grew up with." Everly puts Clint Black and Martina McBride high on his list of performers. "Yeah, these women country singers just get better and better. Those kind of songwriters are making music that sounds like early rock to me."
As for the early days, Everly has nothing but good memories, even reminiscing about contemporaries who are no longer around. "I read an old interview with Roy Orbison the other day," he says with a chuckle, "where he complained that Phil and I wouldn't take his song Only the Lonely. This was before he made it big as a singer, and he needed the money. We suggested that he could do it himself and make a hit with it. We did him a favor, but maybe he didn't remember it that way." Phil and Don Everly still hit the road fairly regularly, having just ended a seven-week stint in England and eight weeks in Canada. The Four Tops have been together for 40 years. Their long list of Top 10 hits and chart toppers include Reach Out, Baby I Need Your Lovin' and It's the Same Old Song. As one of Motown's top recording groups, their deep-rooted American sound survived even the British Invasion of the late 1960s. The group continues to appeal to audiences of all ages, and they include several new songs, along with early hits, in their live shows. Paul Revere and the Raiders, started in 1958 by Idaho native Paul Revere, was the first rock group to be signed to Columbia Records. With 25 albums, the group has sold more than 50 million records, five of them gold. While the members of the group have changed during the years, Revere continues at the helm of his custom-made piano, earning him the title of one the most energetic live acts in rock. Among his hit songs are Kicks, Hungry, Indian Reservation and Just Like Me. The 1971 song Indian Reservation sold nearly 3 million copies, making it Columbia Records' biggest seller that decade. Johnny Rivers was a true musical boy wonder, becoming a major recording star and songwriter, award-winning record producer and head of his own record company by the age of 25. Rivers has recorded 25 albums, 17 of them gold, with sales of more than 30 million. His hits of the '60s included Poor Side of Town, Mountain of Love, Secret Agent Man and Memphis. -- Stars and Cars Benefit Concert is scheduled Saturday at Joe Robbie Stadium, Northwest 27th Avenue and 199th Street, north Dade. Events run from noon to 6 p.m. The concert will start at 7 p.m.; parking is free for all events. Registration for the Classic Car Show costs $20 in advance, $25 on the day of the event and includes two tickets to the concert, while available. Concert tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door, available at Ticketmaster
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