The Cover of the Rolling Stone

Back in the 60’s and 70’s making the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine meant that you had made it to the top of the music world. So in 1972 Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show came up with the best solution possible on how to make the cover of the magazine. The first single released off of the second album Sloppy Seconds was titled The Cover of Rolling Stone and was all about making the cover. How many of you remember these lyrics:
“(Rollin’ Stone…) Wanna see our pictures on the cover
(Stone…) Wanna buy five copies for our mothers…(Yeah)
(Stone…) Wanna see my smilin face
On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone”

As the story goes three of the members did make the cover and true to their word they walked into the offices of Rolling Stone Magazine and purchased five copies for there mothers.  Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was the brain child of singer/ guitarist George Cummings who created the band in 1968. He brought along fellow “The Chocolate Papers” band members Ray Sawyer (the one with the distinctive eye patch) and keyboardist Billy Francis. The next member that the picked up was bass player and vocalist Dennis Locorriere who owns the rights to Dr. Hook and still tours today using the name Dr. Hook starring Dennis Locorriere. Drummer John “Jay” David joined and they had they core band in place. Although the band went through some personal changes throughout their active years Cummings, Locorriere and Francis where there from the beginning to the end in 1985. For the album Sloppy Seconds the other musicians where guitarist Rik Elswit and bassist Janice Garfat who both stayed with the band from 1972 until the end.

The Cover of Rolling Stone was written by songwriter Shel Silverstein (who wrote many tunes for the band back then) and released on Columbia Records. The Cover of Rolling Stone was all over the radio back then which made many executives very rich but unfortunately not the musicians.

As a bonus this week here is the video of Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show’s first hit song from their debut album Sylvia’s Mother. As writer Shel Silverstein it was a real conversation that he had with a ex-girlfriends mother.
“and the operator says 40 cents more for the next three minutes”