Mailbag-Ed Sullivan

RE: The Ed Sullivan Documentary

In 1965, having been urged to audition Trude Heller’s’ house band/recent Epic signee The Remains, Sullivan visited the club unaccompanied.  According to the band, he sat at a table by himself, watched one set, and asked them “Do you want to appear on my show?”  Simple as that.

Paul Lanning

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RE: The Ed Sullivan Documentary

When it comes to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…

I’m not a “they-should-or-shouldn’t-be-in” kinda guy.

But if Dick Clark, Don Cornelius, and Don Kirshner are in—

Shouldn’t Ed and/or The Ed Sullivan Show get acknowledged for non-performer influence.

I’ve heard lots of music podcasts, as well as most of yours…

When a musician or performer is asked what it was that inspired them to get started…

The answer is almost always about a certain performance on a certain Sunday night TV show…

And it wasn’t  “Bonanza.”

Marty Bender

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Re: Ed Sullivan

Very early in my personal management career I worked for a firm that represented Richard Pryor.  I was 24 years old.  I was sent to New York to ’service’ Richard on The Ed Sullivan Show.

There was always a dress rehearsal Sunday afternoon.  Ed would watch the rehearsal and decide what the running order was to be that evening.  A handwritten list was posted on an old bulletin board back stage.  When I saw the list, Richard was not on the list.  Ed didn’t like the material and bumped him.

I had the chore of explaining this to Richard.   Not an easy task.  I earned some stripes that Sunday.

 

Jim Morey

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