Friday, Aug. 15, 2025: Daily Dirt
The Monkees may be the only somewhat dubious choice among these final ten. The other nine should have already been elected into the Hall of Fame for no apparent reason. Welcome to The Daily Dirt’s Vol. 1,374: Three Thoughts for Today.
1. It s been a journey this week, but here are my top 10 picks of the most overlooked artists and bands not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
I’ll give you a hint on number one before you cheat and check the age I know you’ll do: Jeremiah was, is, and always will be a bullfrog.
10. Meat Loaf: If nothing else, the man’s contribution to the iconic Bat Out of Hell LP is enough to earn him a plaque.
9. The Monkees: These made-for-TV goofballs did more to promote pop music in the late 1960s than any other group, with the exception of the Beatles.
8. Joe Cocker: Not many vocalists can claim to have a generation’s voice. One of those singers is this one. Not to add singles like “Up Where We Belong,” “Feeling Alright,” “You Are So Beautiful,” and “With A Little Help From My Friends,” his voice alone is enough to earn him a spot in the hall.
7. Raspberries: Often compared to an American Badfinger, the Raspberries were led by the late, great Eric Carmen. Was Go All the Way the most well-known pop anthem of the early 1970s? Do you recall the Raspberries’ album “Scratch-and-Sniff Blue”? It did indeed smell like raspberries.
6. Diana Ross: What makes her unpopular as a solo artist? She is a mythical figure.
5. Barry White: He created some of the most unforgettable love songs ever by slowing down disco and adding his deep voice and seductive lyrics. incredibly neglected and underappreciated.
4. Eric Carmen: One of the rock era’s most underappreciated performers. Accented by “Never Gonna Fall in Love,” “Hungry Eyes,” and “Make Me Lose Control,” he had an amazing career. He ought to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame given his work with the Raspberries.
3. Grass Roots: This ensemble was the most well-known and frequently heard on the radio for a large portion of a decade (1965–75). Two lead singers, Rob Grill and Warren Entner, were used by the Grass Roots. They frequently switched back and forth on the same song. For the iconic Midnight Confessions in 1968, the band will always be known. The Grass Roots set a record by spending 307 consecutive weeks on the Billboard charts between 1967 and 1972. Just nine bands have had at least 29 Top 100 Billboard songs, and they are among them. More than 20 million recordings have been sold by them.
2. Tommy James and the Shondells: In the late 1960s and early 1970s, this underappreciated psychedelic bubblegum/pop/rock combo ruled the pop charts. Thanks to a broad array of performers including Joan Jett, Billy Idol, and teen singer Tiffany, the band’s singles were back on the charts by the 1980s.
1. Three Dog Night: Joy to the World served as the cornerstone of this immensely popular three-man group’s lengthy run of songs. It’s quite unlikely that anyone reading this has ever sang out loud. What a bullfrog Jeremiah was! was one of my close friends! Between 1969 and 1975, Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton, and Cory Wells scored 21 Top 40 songs and FOURTEEN gold albums, three of which peaked at number one. The main criticism of this ensemble has always been that none of the songs that Chuck, Danny, and Cory wrote were original. How would I respond to that? Elvis Presley did not either. These men ought to be put in the hall!
2. Did you know (Part 457)
that Three Dog Night had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, including 18 consecutive Top 20 hits. Did I just mention those twelve consecutive gold-certified LPs?
The Bedouins were the moniker of The Grass Roots before they became well-known in the middle of the 1960s.
that Jim Morrison of the Doors attended film school with Warren Entner, a lead vocalist for the Grass Roots.
Creed Bratton, a former member of Grass Roots, subsequently pursued acting and appeared on The Office. Creed Bratton is the name of his show.
that Barry White smoked up to 150 cigarettes a day, which contributed to his untimely death in 2003 at the age of 58.
3. Appalachian Word of the Day: Odor.
Hello everyone! Cheers to your birthday! Are you smelling anything?
Steve’s Daily ThoughtChuck Norris does not require a GPS, in case you were unaware. He chooses his location. Chuck also maintains a journal. The Guinness Book of World Records is the name given to it.
Every day, Steve Eighinger contributes to Muddy River News. Joe Namath’s entry into the Pro Football Hall of Fame is comparable to the Monkees’ admission into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not much of a corpus of work outside of the big and significant splash.
