Elton John, Funeral For A Friend (In Memoriam: Frank Terry)

READ THIS: Dennis Morgan and the late Frank Terry had their own countrypolitan (Gram Parsons wannabees) ensemble -- the Morgan Crilly Band. Frank's real name was Terrence Francis Crilly and he was raised in a musical family; his cousins are songwriter and producers Paul Williams (We've Only Just Begun, Old Fashion Love Song) and Mentor Williams (Driftaway, Loving Arms).

With the career explosion of Elton John, Dennis Morgan was recruited away from his position as National Promotion Director for MCA/ Universal Music Group by Elton's management firm, John Reid Enterprises (to take-over operations of fledgling,The Rocket Record Company).

Morgan's archives are filled with extra-ordinary accounts of The Rocket Record Company years; However, Rocket Records recording artists Kiki Dee, Neil Sedaka, Brenda Russel, and Elton's drummer and vocalist Nigel Olsson are among his favorites (good friends).

Along the way, there are many folks responsible for the success of Elton, and The Rocket Record Company. Among other things, Morgan attributes that fabulous success to deejays like the late Frank Terry (aka T.F. Crilly) and the radio organizations he worked for (RKO/Drake Chenault, ABC Radio Network, MetroMedia, etc.) who had extraordinary power in propelling record sales via airplay.

Frank and Dennis enjoyed writing songs together-- much of the time to Frank's rhythmic tapping as they tossed verses around. Luckily, Dennis managed to track down 'the lost tapes' and has posted them here on TheDennisMorganShow channel (Morgan Crilly Band: "The Lost Tapes"; and
"Eulogy for TF Crilly aka Frank Terry").

Frank passed away from colon cancer last June. Here's how TV writer/producer and major league baseball announcer Ken Levine (MASH, Frazier, Cheers, Wings...Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres) eulogized Frank on his web-site at 1. http://kenlevine.blogspot.com/

Ken Levine wrote (June archives):

As any musician knows, the difference between a good song and a great song is the drummer. Usually in the background, often times pounding away in relative obscurity, it's the drummer who provides the backbone to the song, as well as its vitality and spark. Frank Terry was the Ringo Starr, Hal Blaine, and Gene Krupa of Boss Radio 93/KHJ. Originally a drummer himself, Frank Terry, more than any other Bossjock (even Morgan & Steele) set the template for the Boss Radio format and was its most consistent performer.

He was the guy who broke in the other Bossjocks. He was the guy who worked every shift, often going months at a time without a day off. The beat had to go on and he was the drummer. There was no more versatile performer in radio. The two biggest rock stations in America in the mid 60's could not have sounded more different. KHJ Los Angeles was ultra streamlined, WABC New York was all bells and whistles (chimes actually) -- organized chaos. Only one disc jockey ever worked both formats. Frank Terry at KHJ and later at WABC's sister station and clone in San Francisco, KSFX. You just gave him the charts and he could play.

Later Frank moved into country radio at KNEW and KSAN in the Bay Area. He could bang on washboards as well as snares.

Wherever he went, two things were certain. He made every station he ever worked for sound the very best they ever did, and he dented every console, cart machine, and music stand in the studio with his drum sticks.

Radio has lost a giant. Terrence Francis Crilly. Better known as Frank Terry. For those of us who knew and loved him, he will always remain in our heart... beating and beating and beating.

From the forthcoming semi-autobiography by
Dennis Morgan, 'All The Dark Horses; All The Kings Men'.

Category:

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[sbcruiser]

Rest in peace Claudia my love. I will see you again someday.

[TheDennisMorganShow]

Our condolences 'sbcruiser'...

[nickstrix]

the guy at the far right in the picture at 39 seconds looks like dale earnhardt

[TheDennisMorganShow]

...that chap is none other than yours truly,

Dennis Morgan.

[Kirkendra]

What an immense talent!!! You have to say he is special, a Mozart of our times.

[OldBob2]

Yes, super sidebar. Remember when radio was BOSS.

[llamalover566]

Wow!

[technocrash09]

Between 2:40 and 2:58, EJ looks like the "piano-professor-cooking-up-so­me-serious-shred-material". The guy is SUCH a master of the 88's!

peace

[technocrash09]

@dcs002 Could be because his original bassist was not featured (due to death...RIP Dee Murray) while Davey and Nigel were. I agree the gent should have recieved some video time as he did a great job on bass. Not many bassists could accompany EJ like Dee could.

I am just guessing at the reason why he was cheated on the video.

peace

[dcs002]

@yatah LOL!!! No, I didn't intend that to be funny, but I'm glad any time I can give someone a laugh! And yeah, I get it. We bassists sometimes talk about pumping out the bottom end as if there were no double-entendre, at least us older bassists do, and Elton being who he is (a musical GENIUS who is also gay). I absolutely love this song, possibly the best rock song ever written, and I bow to the bass guitar genius, but yeah, you gotta laugh eh?! (I wrote this a year ago - bit full of myself...)

[yatah]

@dcs002 '.. passing glance at the man pumping out the bottom-end magic' I don't know if you intended it but you made me laugh, thank you.

[ABFABF183]

Love, love,love

[ABFABF183]

My Good, what a performance

[technocrash09]

If pianos were psychology, EJ would be a ZEN MASTER!

[dcs002]

This song features one of the most amazing bass performances ever, but none of the videos, including this one, give more than a passing glance at the man pumping out the bottom-end magic. I know it's Elton's band, but everyone else gets the odd close-up!

.

Every bit of this song just rips open my soul and pours it out for all to see. There is simply no finer or more powerful work of rock art than this song. The prog legends of the 70s & the 90s just can't touch this masterpiece.

[exxagerator]

great song