Motown Promotes WEA Celebrates Elton John Session Accents Gordy, de Passe Overseas Sales Of S During Best Year `Hotel California' eattle's Recording Surge by Alan Sutton "People are really starting to take an in - LOS ANGELES Berry Gordy IV has been LOS ANGELES party celebrating the - -A LOS ANGELES Elton John, MCA terest in the northwest," Britt said. "I would named executive vice president of the success of the Eagles'"Hotel California" LP - recording artist and one of the industry's say our bookings are up about 90% over creative division of Motown Records and recently was held at Chasen's restaurant most consistent talents, was in Seattle, last year." Suzanne de Passe has been promoted to here and was highlighted by the presenta- Wash. last month cutting tracks with in- Artists that have recorded in Seattle, or vice president of Motown Industries. tion of 85 platinum, gold and silver awards dependent producer Thom Bell. Besides plan to in the coming year (in addition to Gordy will continue to be responsible for representing the sales of more than 2,000,- laying the foundation for a forthcoming John, who will return in early 1978 to finish administration of Motown Industries in ad- 000 copies of the album overseas. album, the John -Bell collaboration un- his album), include Steve Miller, Dionne dition to his new duties while de Passe will Members of the Eagles and top WEA ex- derscored the city's reputation as a Warwick, Johnny Mathis,the O'Jays, Teddy serve as staff assistant to Motown chairman ecutives were on hand as Chasen's was burgeoning recording center. Pendergrass, M.F.S.B., and the Spinners, Berry Gordy. (continued on page 42) The session, which netted six songs, in- who have recorded their last four LPs there. In announcing the appointments, cluding a soon -to -be -released single, was What is it, then, that draws these artists to Michael Roshkind, vice chairman of Jack Lewerke, recorded at Kaye -Smith studios, one of Seattle instead of major recording hubs like (continued on page 58) several 24 -track facilities in Seattle. And New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, Detroit Industry Veteran, according to Melinda Britt, operations or Philadelphia? From interviews with locai Dies From manager at Kaye -Smith, it is indicative of a studio executives and producers, the at - Stroke growing trend which has seen a steady in- traction seems to be twofold: the city's LOS ANGELES - Jack Lewerke, veteran flux of out-of-town artists in recent years. (continued on page 43) record and music man, passed away Nov. 15 from an apparent stroke. He was 55. Lewerke served as an owner/executive UA Publ. Has A Strong Year With Constant Chart Activity LOS ANGELES - United Artists Publishing Group has had a strong year, according to Wally Schuster, vice-president and general manager. Thus far UA has chalked up seven top ten singles, reflected on the Cash Box charts as follows: "Gonna Fly Now" (Bill Conti, #1), Emerson, Lake and Palmer began their from the "Rocky" motion picture score; combined musical explorations in 1970, "Handy Man" (James Taylor, the sultry forging their own unique pioneering style #2), It Better" (#2), performed by which emcompasses jazz, pop, classical, "Nobody Does Simon from the James Bond opus, Wally Schuster blues and rock. Each ELP effort has been Carly "The Spy Who Loved Me"; "Don't It Make nered in excess of 25 chart singles during an experiment in sound. After four years of My Brown Eyes Blue" (Crystal Gayle, the past 10 months. touring and recording, ELP called a recess #3 Jack Lewerke a In New England" "UA's particularly fertile period," said following the release of their triple live -LP of with bullet); "Weekend (Barry Manilow, Two singles by ELO, Schuster, "is based on several factors, in- 1974, "Welcome Back, My Friends... "The vice president of Record Merchandising in #6). "Telephone Line" and "Livin' Thing," made cluding the wealth of new material coming time had come when individual needs Los Angeles, and had been involved in (continued on page 58) five All in all, UA gar - (continued on page 57) demanded attention. Palmer tried his hand the top on the charts. as a producer. Lake recorded extensively Bette Midler To Make as did Emerson. Steve Miller Given Arabian In mid -march 1977, a re -energized ELP Film Debut In 'The Rose' released the first studio album in over three LOS ANGELES - Bette Midler will make years, the double LP "Works, Vol. 1." What Horse For Decade At Capitol her film debut in "The Rose," a 20th emerged from the hiatus was the realization LOS ANGELES Steve Miller was pre- Zimmermann, vice president and chief Century -Fox release about a rock singer in personal and needs could be - that group sented a championship Arabian brood operating officer, who presented Miller the the late '60s. The shooting schedule is On fulfilled within the context of the band. mare recently by Capitol Records ex- horse. "We've all come a long way. We hope slated to begin next March with a release "Vol. 1," each member had an entire side ecutives at a party celebrating Miller's 10 - to keep this partnership going for the next date set for late 1978. one side devoted to a solo project, while year relationship with the label. The horse, 10, 20, 30 years or whatever. At a press conference announcing the reunited the trio. which is with foal, was given to Miller at the Accepting the mare, Miller said, "I have project last week, it was reported that the ELP recently released the capstone party in the Bistro restaurant in Beverly Hills had a long, rewarding and enjoyable film will contain roughly a dozen songs to "Works, Vol. 2," a single LP again showcas- after Miller's fiance had told label ex- relationship with Capitol." be written by established and unknown ing ELP eclecticism. In addi- the trademark ecutives that he wanted an Arabian horse to 150 At Party songwriters. No names were released blues, multi- tion to orchestrated barroom breed. Approximately 150 persons attended the although Paul Rothschild will produce the dimensional experiments and rock 'n roll, Miller will keep the horse on his new 312 - party including top Capitol executives, music. The soundtrack will be released 2" five "Vol. included single sides acre farm in Oregon where he raises Miller's legal and booking representatives through Atlantic Records (which is also previously unavailable. horses, cows, goats, pigs, bees, peacocks and friends and business associates of Midler's label.) (Photo by Neal Preston/Mirage; Design by and other animals. Miller's. The storyline involves a "self-destruc- Tom Drennon.) Label executives believed the gift was Although Oct. 27 marked the actual date tive" rock singer set against the "self- Index appropriate because Miller's band has Miller signed with Capitol 10 years ago, he destruction" of the late '60s. Queried Album Reviews 21 adopted the picture of a flying horse which has been in the midst of his "Fall Tour '77" whether the film was a biographical study of Artists On The Air 14 appeared on their "Book Of Dreams" LP as so the party was scheduled for the night Janis Joplin's demise, Midler said that 48 Classified their logo. And that logo was also repro- before his performance at the Forum in Los "there are a lot of parallels to Janis, but it's Album Chart 49 Country duced at the party on a cake and as a three- Angeles. really a composite of several people." Country Singles Chart 51 foot high ice sculpture on a buffet table. The six -year -old mare is named Aurielle Larry Peerce will direct while Marvin East Coastings/Points West 16 manager, The "Book Of Dreams" LP spawned and she is expected to give birth in mid - Worth and Aaron Russo, Midler's FM Analysis 28 will co -produce. Bo Goldman is polishing a 56 three singles - "Jet Airliner," "Jungle June. Gospel screenplay previously written in associa- 59 Love" and "Swingtown." "It's sort of like getting two for the price of International Section tion with Michael Cimino, based on an Jazz 24 "It's been a great first 10 years, said Don one," said Zimmermann. earlier draft by William Kerby. The story is Jukebox Singles Chart 44 Looking Ahead 16 by Worth and Cimino. Looking Back 16 Midler is currently in preparation for a New Faces To Watch 12 club tour, and it was announced that the Pop Album Chart 61 singer would also have an extensive con- Pop Radio Analysis 34 cert tour next summer. Pop Radio Playlist Highlights 32 Pop Singles Chart 4 Wings Film To Be Aired Radio News 30 Regional Album Action 35 On Midnight Special Retail Selling Prices 26 LOS ANGELES - A film prepared by R&B Album Chart 39 Wings to promote their new single "Mull Of R&B Singles Chart 41 Kintyre" is scheduled to be shown on "Mid- Singles Bullets 31 MILLER CELEBRATES DECADE - Capitol recording artist Steve Miller was treated to a night Special" Dec. 9. Filmed near the Mull Singles Reviews 45 party by label executives recently celebrating Miller's 10th year with the label. Pictured (l-r) Of Kintyre, a cape on the southwestern Top Ten's 35 at the party, which was held at the Bistro restaurant in Beverly Hills, are: Norton Buffalo, coast of Scotland, the film features Paul Talent 42 Capitol recording artist; Don Zimmermann, Capitol executive vice president and chief McCartney and his family, Wings and Upcoming Industry Conventions 27 operating officer; Miller and Miller's fiance Jenny Turner.