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TV preview: 'Discoveries' is last call for 'Doo Wop'
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Kenny Vance and the Planotones appear on "Doo Wop Discoveries."
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T.J. Lubinsky, who has been creating PBS doo-wop programs for 20 years, has a new twist for what he is calling his last special on that classic genre.
"Doo Wop Discoveries," premiering Saturday on WQED-TV, is his first documentary-style show, combining live performances by Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners, The Penguins, Little Anthony & The Imperials and more with interviews with classic artists such as Smokey Robinson, Aaron Neville, Neil Sedaka and George Clinton talking about how the music influenced them.
From here, the producer says, the popular "My Music" series will go boldly into the late '60s and '70s.
When: "Doo-Wop" airs at 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by "Motown" at 9 p.m.
"After making so many classic all original artists all doo-wop shows, time and age have been our greatest challenges. I feel we've taken the original format as far as we can, and it's now time to look at a very real transition to bring the classic music into a model where the younger generations can join in."
"Doo Wop Discoveries" will be paired with "Motown: Big Hits & More," a special that goes beyond the classics to also highlight songs that were big in Pittsburgh, thanks to local DJs who notoriously would flip the records.
It is accompanied by an all new TJL-custom-licensed, six-CD boxed set that puts popular Motown hits alongside such "shoulda-been hits" as "Would I Love You" and "Mickey's Monkey" (The Miracles), "I Want a Love I Can See" (The Temptations) and "Forever" (Marvin Gaye).
"Having worked with the artists over the years to bring their creative works to PBS, expanding into Motown -- and going deep within their vaults for the audio packages -- was a natural extension from the doo-wop era," the producer says.
Mr. Lubinsky, who lives in Pine, says one of those legendary artists, Smokey Robinson, is a part-time neighbor.
"He has family in the area. There's a real funny moment when he says to me, 'You live in Gibsonia, man? No way' and gives me a huge hug."
First Published November 22, 2012 12:00 am
