Keith Thomas.com


Recorded Live at the Gold Rush

December 8, 1973

Featuring Loretta Thompson Glickman
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This page is dedicated to the memory of Loretta. Her spirit lives on in this recording, as does the love that she gave to the world with her voice.

 
Loretta Glickman -  lead vocals
Keith Thomas - guitar
Dianne Thomas - bass guitar and vocals 		Bruce Eskovitz - sax, flute, piano, vocals
Steve Rawlins - trumpet, piano
Bill (unknown) - drums

The band was originally formed during 1972 to back up an Elvis impersonator named Dennis Colt. Loretta, Keith and Dianne all answered an LA Times newspaper ad seeking musicians, got hired and rehearsed with Dennis for a few weeks with the band name of Whiskey Creek, later changed to London Fog. After about six months playing Elvis songs at the Gold Rush, Dennis and London Fog parted ways, and Dennis moved on with some later success when Elvis died. London Fog stayed at the Gold Rush with Loretta going from backup to lead vocalist. The band makeup was unusual for that day, salt and pepper as well as male female. But we stayed on week after week, to an appreciative crowd of regulars. Keeping the same gig for a year in LA was unheard of, but somehow it lasted. The band did go through a few members. But the core trio, Loretta, Keith and Dianne stayed together until the band broke up a few weeks after this recording was made. Bruce and Steve joined later in the year and added a jazz flavor to the band's sound.
The song selection is what all the LA bar bands were doing back in 1973. Top forty, with a few standards thrown in. Of course we did the songs everyone expected Loretta to sing. Loretta was opera trained but easily versatile enough to adapt to singing popular music. Every other song is a slow song by order of Phil the bartender. We would have preferred to play more upbeat songs, but dancers weren't drinking according to Phil. The Gold Rush had previously been a country music bar, one genre that we did not cover.
The performance that night was recorded on a borrowed Sony 854-4 reel to reel tape deck with direct input from guitar, bass, keyboard and PA, using one drum microphone, the horns were recorded through the PA. The reel-to-reel tape was mixed down a few months later on a home made mixing board. Then the tapes sat for almost thirty years before being dubbed to CD. The recordings are unedited, just tracked with all of the original patter that Loretta provided. We kept to a tight schedule, took breaks on time and kept the music going, all part of earning a living playing music in LA.
I learned that Loretta had passed away (March 2001) while I was working on the CD transfer and did an Internet search in an attempt to find her. That news really upset me; I had always hoped to see her again and I know she would have really enjoyed hearing this recording after so many years. But it was not to be. Loretta was a high school teacher at this time of her life. She toured with the New Christy Minstrels after London Fog broke up and then found her calling in politics. She was the mayor of Pasadena for two terms and served on City Council for many years after that. We lost touch due to her busy schedule, but I did visit her a few times during the late '70's. This recording is dedicated to the memory of Loretta, whose love of music was shared by everyone who knew her.

Keith Thomas - December 2003

Recorded live Saturday December 8, 1973 at
Mike Azar's Gold Rush
11048 Sepulveda Blvd.
Mission Hills, California
San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles CA

Set 1
1. I Can See Clearly - Johnny Nash
2. Daniel - Elton John
3. Phoenix - Glen Cambell
4. Sunny - Bobby  Hebb
5. Listen to  the Music - Doobie Brothers
6. You Are the Sunshine - Stevie Wonder
7. The Morning After - Maureen McGovern
8. Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
9. Watermelon  Man - Herbie Hancock
10. If Lovin' You is Wrong - Luther Ingram
11. Joy to the World - Three Dog Night

Set 2
1. Love Train - O' Jays
2. I Don't Want to be Lonely - James Taylor
3. Are You Ready - Pacific Gas and Electric
4. Jesse - Roberta Flack
5. Grazin' in the Grass - Hugh Masekela
6. Midnight Train - Gladys Knight and the Pips
7. Shambala - Three Dog Night

Set 3
1. Ashes to Ashes - Fifth Dimension
2. Natural High - Bloodstone
3. Superstition - Stevie Wonder
4. So Very Hard to Go - Tower of Power
5. Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack
6. Long Train Runnin' - Doobie Brothers

Set 4
1. Rock Steady - Aretha Franklin
2. Rainy Night in Georgia - Brook Benton
3. I'll Take You There - Staple Singers
4. Proud Mary - Tina Turner
5. Right Place - Dr. John
6. Stormy - Classic IV
7. Circles - Billy Preston