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Where the Action Is! Reviewed By Dr. Wesley Britton of Bookpleasures.com
- By Dr. Wesley Britton
- Published February 10, 2012
- Biographies & Memoirs
Dr. Wesley Britton
Reviewer Dr. Wesley Britton: Dr. Britton is the author of four non-fiction books on espionage in literature and the media. Starting in fall 2015, his new six-book science fiction series, The Beta-Earth Chronicles, debuted via BearManor Media.
In 2018, Britton self-published the seventh book in the Chronicles, Alpha Tales 2044, a collection of short stories, many of which first  appeared at a number of online venues.
For seven years, he was co-host of online radio’s Dave White Presents where he contributed interviews with a host of entertainment insiders. Before his retirement in 2016, Dr. Britton taught English at Harrisburg Area Community College. Learn more about Dr. Britton at his WEBSITE
View all articles by Dr. Wesley Britton
Follow Here To Purchase Where the Action Is!
Authors: Freddy Cannon and Mark Bego
ISBN-10: 1462639739
ISBN-13: 978-1462639731
The title of Freddie “Boom Boom” Cannon’s Where the Action Is! is spot on. For one matter, it’s the title of one of Cannon’s many hit singles, in this case the theme for the Dick Clark produced ABC TV series. For another, once Cannon’s string of chart-toppers began with 1959’s “Tallahassee Lassie,” Cannon was in the thick of ‘60s rock ‘n roll action. He enjoyed constant radio airplay, numerous TV and film appearances, and performing on the road with many of the top performers of the era.
With a lively pace and
unusually positive tone for a rock memoir, Cannon admits his career
was marked by a considerable streak of luck. To begin, using lyrics
composed by a very supportive Mother, “Tallahassee Lassie” was an
immediate hit for Cannon and Swan Records.
From that point forward, while not every Cannon single soared up the
charts, many of them did, and the stories behind the songs are the
heart of this memoir. There’s “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans,”
a rock version of an old Al Jolson standard. There’s “Palisades
Park” composed by the eccentric Chuck Barris. (The song’s
composition played an important part in the 2002 bio-pic of Barris,
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind.) After Cannon moved up to Warner
Brothers records, his final top-sellers included “Abigail Beecher”
and the 1966 AM anthem, “The Dedication Song.”
Throughout these years, Cannon’s luck included a long association with Dick Clark who wrote the book’s introduction. As Cannon lived in Philadelphia, he was available when Clark needed a fill-in guest on American Bandstand which resulted in Cannon appearing on that show more than any other performer. Cannon not only sang the theme for Where the Action Is!, he was a frequent performer on that show from 1965 to 1967 and also worked on a number of Clark’s package tours. Unique for the music business, Cannon ended up owning his own masters which meant that, to the present day, he owns all the licensing rights to his, pun intended, musical canon. No surprise, then, that he feels like he was blessed with much good fortune in an industry not always kind to its brightest stars.
Throughout his
autobiography, Cannon recounts his encounters with his peers,
including Elvis, Cher, Eddie Cochran, and his love of The Rolling
Stones. He discusses his recordings backed by such musicians as Danny
and the Juniors and The Belmonts. In short, nearly every page has one
rock anecdote or another that are sometimes quick brushes with the
famous, sometimes revealing insights into the pop circuit of the
times.
Tightly woven, Cannon’s memoir should clearly interest fans of his music and those interested in how pop music was made during the 1960s. Cannon is remembered for his distinctive voice and driving melodies—perhaps his story will encourage readers to re-visit his music. It was a ton of fun, and so is this autobiography.