Joe & Bing, Then & Now
Shared a pizza and some music-biz news last nite with Joe Knowlton and my son, Max. Actually, Joe and I shared a pizza; Max had a pizza of his own.
Joe, as you might recall, was half of the Joe & Bing duo with partner Bing Bingham in the early ‘70’s. The soft-pop/folk-rock act had a contenda of an album, Daybreak, and some hot tour appearances that should have put them in the same ring with, say, Jimmy Buffet or the Carpenters. And why not? They were creative and original and had the Brazilian super-star Eumir Deodato producing and touring with them.
They have updated their material and are busy working on a new CD, Destiny, which they expect to be mixing by spring. Early tracks and rough vocals are sexy and exciting.
Personally, I’d love to see these guys regain the momentum and promise they showed in the roiling, boiling ‘60’s and ‘70’s. I know Bing from his jingle days. I’ve worked with Joe for, my God, almost two and a half decades, producing songs and commercials, and I’ve long felt he should have a place somewhere in the Hall of Pickin’ and Grinnin’.
