The BOBBY DARLING SHOW and TRANSFORMING CLASSICAL MUSIC w/COUSIN BEN ZANDER-DARLING!

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF CLASSICAL MUSIC by BEN ZANDER-DARLING

DO YOURSELVES A FAVOR AND LISTEN TO THE TEDtalk. I THINK THAT THE TEDtalk IS SENSATIONAL. EARLY ON HE MENTIONS PLAYING ON-BUTTOCK ONE or TWO. MAYBE THAT WAS THE PROBLEM IN THE ORIGINAL BOBBY DARLING SHOW. WE HAD A BUTTOCK-PROBLEM. WE WERE ALWAYS USING THE WRONG AMOUNT OF BUTTOCKS. THIS IS EXPLAINED MORE CLEARLY IN TEDtalk.

IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE LISTENING TO THE WHOLE TEDtalk. I THINK IT IS GREAT! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO YOU and WHAT IS BEYOND THAT!

I AM TAKING A CHANCE, BUT I MAY DEFY CLINT EASTWOOD, AT-THIS-POINT, AND GUARANTEE YOUR ENJOYMENT.

IF YOU SEE HIM, PLEASE, DON'T TELL HIM. OR, BETTER YET, LET HIM KNOW YOU BOUGHT A TOASTER. CLICK ON HIM and I GUARANTEE HE'LL BE APPEASED.

IF YOU CARE ABOUT OUR LEVEL (THE ORIGINAL BOBBY DARLING SHOW) OF APPEASEMENT, LISTEN TO THE TEDtalk AND MAYBE BUY A SIMPLE TWO-SLICE TOASTER TO APPEASE CLINT.

IF YOU WANT TO THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND AND NOT BUY A TOASTER (ONE, TWO or FAMILY SIZE SLICER) BUT STILL LISTEN TO TEDtalk, I STILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND, BUT RESERVE GUARANTEEING, AT LEAST UNTIL ALL THE DOCTORS, ETC...LEAVE. I PREDICT THAT A GOODTIME WILL BE HAD BY ALL, UNLESS MY ROOMMATE, Nostrodamus, WAKES UP! HE CAN BE A REAL NUISANCE.

TEDtalk IS GREAT

GIVE A LISTEN (with headphones!)

Touch Of Gray - Don Gray

DON GRAY

---We were holding auditions for a drummer for the band - FRANCONIA NOTCH. That was the band that Bobby Darling and myself played in before we started the Bobby Darling Show in 1972. We did a lot of original songs written by Bobby, Jeff Thompson, Mike Graham and even myself (Paul H.) Hempty (John Hemenway,) who played Conga Drums, had just quit. Don was the last drummer of the day. We held the auditions at Jeff’s house near South Hampton, MA….I think! Truly, a big reason Don was hired wasn’t due to his drumming ability, though he fit right in. He showed up for the audition in a van-truck that could easily haul the equipment. We all became very aware that the truck belonged to him and that he saw hauling the equipment as ‘’not a problem.’’ Before a single note was played, he had a ''BIG'' leg up on the competition.

---The band FRANCONIA NOTCH did okay with Don Gray. Don was very easy to get along with. Fred McKay played Bass. (A Sidelight - Fred’s son is Adam McKay from SNL. He directed ‘’Talladega Nights, Stepbrothers, Ron Burgundy,’’ and others with SNL Alum Will Ferrell.) The band Franconia Notch, was distinguishable from the ‘’Old Man of The Mountain,’’ which had been in NH for millions of years. We played for two years. We were going to take the ‘’Old Man’’ to court, but he crumbled just before that happened. He probably couldn’t handle the pressure.

---I, myself, was on hiatus from my former bandmates until about a year before Don passed on in 2007. Bobby and Don were quite close over the years. Don Gray was well aware that he had cancer at the end and in the video. It was amazing how ''WELL'' he handled it all. Don was present at the Bobby Darling Show first audition at the Rusty Scupper in Amherst. We didn’t get the job due to an unavoidable Technical Glitch. Our equipment drank a few too many gin and tonics that night! When the night was through, Don suggested we try the Broadview in Holyoke. It may be more our type of crowd.

---Don was very affable and a fun guy to know. Admittedly, when Bobby mentioned the CHIPMUNKs in the video, I was very excited. It was almost a surreal moment. I wrote it and performed it, BUT never saw it performed by others. It was great! It was wonderful! It, admittedly, had been honed over the years. I saw the Dinsdale influence (Laurie Dearest whistling from her butt...for one.) Now, Dinsdale, who passed recently, was a very funny guy.

With Don, the BDS was more rock n' rolly - if, indeed, that is a word. Bobby Darling and Don Gray fans will enjoy seeing this. Don Gray was a great guy. So, is Bobby. If you ever see Don in one of your dreams...say ''fore'' for me and let him play through. Of course, if he's wearing one of those loud, colorful golfing shirts, make fun of it...first, before you let him through. Don was a real nice guy, but after seeing the video - I'm sure you know that. Take Care.

(I truly admire the poise and aplomb he showed about his own passing. It was remarkable.)

The DINSDALE Has Passed On!

OBITUARY - Ernie Dumont (Dinsdale Darling) CLICK

---I got an email from Joe L., that Ernie Dumont had passed on. For those that remember, he was Dinsdale Darling in the Bobby Darling Show. (Truly, I wasn't aware that he spelled his name with a Z. He may have changed it just to be different.) He started on guitar, but eventually played bass with Bobby D.

---He was a joy to be around and an all around good friend to me. Who can forget his ''Wizard of Oz'' bit or his Tarzan yell?  Who can forget the Dinsdale joke (Archibald Assolderbroke) as I prepared for Danny & Dave? Who can forget the Roy Orbison classic, ''Oh, Pretty Woman'' or Bobby Darin's ''Mack The Knife?'' It says his greatest joy was to make his friends laugh and to entertain them with his more than adequate talent for guitar, singing and comedy. All that came very naturally to ''the Dinsdale.''

---I particularly remember the first night we did ''Whistle While You Work,'' by Alvin, Simon and Theodore, better known as The CHIPMUNKs. Bobby and Dinsdale took to being the Rodents without knowing we were even going to do this. It was a great thing to witness. Maybe that is what made us a household name. Or, blackballed us from playing the Holiday Inn circuit. Only our auto mechanic knows for sure.

---Ernie, you were a great guy to know. We shared a lot of laughs together. I always have and always will smile when your memory comes drifting by. We had much time to talk on those long drives to Cape Cod, Holyoke or Killington, VT. May you RIP, now. From my heart, my friend. Be Well In Death.

MAKE ROOM FOR DINSDALE

MAKE ROOM FOR DINSDALE -
I wrote this in 2007.

Going From TWO, To Three:

The (Original + One) Bobby Darling Show -

---Bobby wanted to make a personnel change. He wanted to add someone. I must admit that his intentions were always to make the show, ''more musical,'' and not just to add someone for the sake of adding someone. This all happened, late 1975.

---I didn't have much to argue about, but that didn't stop me. My basic argument was, ''we're doing alright, why add someone?'' It seemed short, sweet and to the point. But, Bobby always had this idea, to actually play music. In retrospect, I can hardly blame him. I've heard the early tapes, myself. Of the two of us, he is definitely the one with the musical talent.

---The other funny thing was that Bobby used to read, a lot. Not funny, Ha, Ha. But, funny, unexpected. He had something of a philosophical book, going all the time. And he was forever going to build or do something, that was in whichever other book he was reading. He always had a lot of ideas. The ideas were always sound, as far as I was concerned, just as long as he didn't think he was going to do them, NOW. Because, then, what would I do? My own particular direction was pretty vague. Bobby was my apparent meal ticket. Fear, most probably. At present, I didn't see any point in messing with it. But, if we had gone our separate ways, even then, we both would have adapted easily. We both were pretty resilient.

---We really lucked out with The ''Dinsdale.'' (Not his real-name.) His real name is Ernie D. He could sing, play guitar and was very funny. He had been doing roofing with his Dad, and jumped at the chance to play with The BDS. (Figuratively. NOT, off the roof.)

---He had a Curly Howard-type of appeal. He looked liked the Cowardly Lion, in, ''The Wizard of Oz.'' He was dubbed ''Buff'' Darling, for awhile. Of course, that didn't last. He was very talented, and added immensely to the show. Another talented individual. What's a boy to do? Things were going pretty well, at this point.

---The name of Dinsdale, is directly from the character Dinsdale Piranha, a fictional character from Monty Python. Dinsdale P. was afraid of giant Hedgehogs. I think Dinsdale Darling may have liked giant Hedgehogs, but I'm not sure.

---We were branching out, now. Dinsdale could also do a pretty good Roy Orbison. We quickly added, ''Oh, Pretty Woman,'' and ''Cryin.''' We, also, added, for good measure, ''Mack, The Knife.'' We could do, ''The Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy,'' now, too. This was a song Bobby and I had done with, ''Franconia Notch.'' (Our old Band.)

---Dinsdale would ask me, on occasion, if his coming to the BDS was a good thing? I would always tell him that it was a good thing, but would always add, ''but we didn't really need you.'' I'd like to add here, if you're reading this Dins...''Don't Give Up The Day Job.'' I'm Kidding. Maybe, it is time to take a leave of absence. He was great, and a pretty good friend

EDIT: I hope that you realize that there was much kidding back and forth. We were very fortunate to have met him. He was a great addition to the BDS.

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---That really is the story of how the BDS went from Bobby and Myself, to three. I have given you the ''Nutshell,'' version. You have to wait for the Movie, if 3-D is important to you. Of course, the Nutshell version, seems appropriate, especially if you ever saw us perform. As I said before, ''a good time was had by all...at least by us.'' Take Care.

CLICK THOUGHTOON!

BOBBY And The ''Chipmunks''

DR. DIVINE, DINSDALE, BOBBY

THEODORE, ALVIN, SIMON

BDS - ''CHIPMUNKS''

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---Many people have asked, ''what is the story behind the chipmunks? Was it part of the original show, etc.?'' Many have asked ''other-type things,'' also. All I can say is, ''hold it down and I'll get to you.''

---The chipmunk evolved quite as many of us did. It happened over billions and billions of years...but, hold-on, you are referring to the talking, singing, cartoon, ''Chipmunks,'' that were part of the BDS repertoire. You are asking how the BDS became involved with such mega-stars. You want to know more along the lines of how we hooked-up with Alvin, Simon and Theodore. That evolvution was - BDS style. I think that Charles Darwin, himself, has distanced himself from that.

---I want to say that the ''Chipmunks,'' came to hear us play one night, and were very impressed. They came back stage, and after some negotiations, loud-at-times, we came to terms. But, you know as well as I, that it didn't happen like that. That's too ''Cartoon-y.''

---It was like this. We were playing at a place in Cambridge, MA. I think the name was, ''Studley's.'' The year was about 1976. We would ask for requests, and week-after-week, some guy would yell, ''The Chipmunks.'' He was planting the seed.

---As time went on, I half-heartedly asked my friend, Joanne, if she knew of any place I could get ahold of a Chipmunks Record. The Chipmunk Record was just one of many odd things I asked poor Joanne...but, anyway.

---The next day, I had TWO albums in my possession, by David Seville. One was, the ''Chipmunks'' and one was an exact copy of D. Seville speeding-up the tape technique, with the same voices, called - The ''Beavers.'' It was on the Beavers album where, ''Whistle While You Work,'' was found.

---Recording it straight from the record would be ''cute,'' and all, but it definitely needed something. It needed to be Bobby Darling Show - atized, to make it work. I began to bump the needle, so you wouldn't know which part of the song you were on. I did this several-upon-several, times.

---Bobby and Dinsdale, were NOT aware of any of this. I had made a-pair-of-teeth, out of cardboard, for each of us. They resembled Chipmunk teeth. I had the cassette tape of the Beaver/Chipmunks, with the teeth, in my shirt-pocket. All I needed now was the guy to request the ''Chipmunks.'' And like clockwork, near the end of the first set, he called out, ''the Chipmunks.''

---I stopped everything and handed-out the teeth. I gave Bobby, the cassette tape. Remember, nobody knew about this, so even the putting in of the teeth, got laughs. Bobby and Dinsdale still didn't know that this was even about, ''The Chipmunks.''

---Bobby played the tape and both caught on very quickly. Everyone was getting into it. The CUTENESS was beyond-the-beyond. We were ALL dancing, mouthing-the-words and whistling on cue. Everything was this way for awhile, until we reached the part of the tape where I began bumping the needle. Suddenly, NO one knew what part of the song they were on. As I said, I did this lots of times. They were trying to adjust to each section, but, eventually, realized that it was futile.

---The last I saw them do The Chipmunks, was on, ''Touch Of Gray.'' There was Bobby, Don and a ''bass playing female,'' I believe to be, Laurie Dearest. It was a real fun time seeing it on the DVD. ''Touch Of Gray,'' is worth it just for the BDS file footage, alone. The BDS-Chipmunk Bit has evolved and been enhanced, since the beginning. But, we knew we had a ''keeper.'' Alvin, would be proud.

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[More On How Special DON GRAY Made A, ''Touch Of Gray,'' At Another Time. Look For Don Gray Story.]

http://bobbydarling.com/, For Those In The Market To Buy DVD. (well worth it.)

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The Picture Above Was In The ''Bobby Darling Show'' Newsletter - Feb., 2009. I Told You The CHIPMUNK Bit Was A Keeper. I Have Seen Bobby D. and DR. DIVINE Perform ''The CHIPMUNKS,'' Since I Wrote The Above Story. It Is As, ''Good As Ever,'' To See. (Pictured Above - left-Dr. Divine, middle-The Dinsdale and right-Bobby Darling). The latest is...see APPRECIATION, ETC., - Bobby Darling, etc. It contains a portion of the clip I mentioned, from, ''Touch of GRAY.'' It is PLAYING at ''KNUCKLEHEAD'' THEATER. Oh, that's right. Also, below. 

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ENJOY1

PAUL GIVING SPACEMAN FRIEND THE TOUR!

CLICK THOUGHTOON!

''Maybe, someone should re-read the brochure!''

PAUL + BOBBY...AFTER HIGH SCHOOL plus REVISIT!

CLICK THOUGHTOON!

''Still Justifying After ALL These Years!''