Love's On Fire - American Music Awards

A mini- essay from Audio Rumble: 

It's been 25 years since Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers made their appearance on ABC's American Music Awards. (Sometime back in the 00's, the AMAs moved their televised event from late January every year to late November.)

A young DJ Caterina was watching television in Texas, unaware that her favorite band would be playing that night, Monday, January 30, 1989.

And when the announcer said “Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers” at the beginning of the show as one of the list of performers, I literally jumped out of my skin! My favorite band was performing!

To hear the cheering of the crowd when Tommy went down into the audience at the guitar solo of "Love's On Fire" was so amazing! At the time, I didn't know why he did it...I mean, it was a cool move, but I guess at the time, I just didn’t get it. 

But I never forgot it! 

TCYR's performance on the American Music Awards would be the first (and last) time that I would ever see the band perform live until the early 2000s. DJ Caterina has been catching up ever since... 

1989. Done right. 

Originally posted on Audio Rumble's Facebook page.

Following the 'Rumble'

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' Rumble. [July 8 - August 8] 

Dave Maybaum and Tommy Conwell - the 80's!

TCYR fan Dave Maybaum from Philadelaphia recalls his memories of the release of Rumble:

"The first time I ever saw Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers was at Drexel University in Philadelphia. My buddy went to Drexel and told me that I had to check this band out! They were only a 3-piece band at the time and when I heard them I was BLOWN away! 

To me, I thought Tommy was like a cross between Stevie Ray Vaughn and George Thorogood. I started seeing the band every chance I got. 

Of course, I was still a fan when the Young Rumblers became a 5-piece band and released “Walkin’ On the Water.” I heard they would be the opening act for David Bowie and Squeeze at Veterans Stadium in 1987 – and there was no way I was going to miss this show! The band was phenomenal and Tommy was, of course, fantastic as usual! 

While watching Squeeze play the next set, I saw Tommy walking around! I called him over and introduced him to my girlfriend, who would later become my wife. She put her hand on her heart and she told him that he was amazing! She was star struck! By this time I must have seen him 20 to 25 times. 

On the day that Rumble was released, I bought it as soon as my favorite record store opened. Then I drove to my girlfriend's house in New Jersey so we could listen to it together. We cranked it up and started dancing to "Workout" – one of my favorite tracks. 

Loved seeing the Young Rumblers on the American Music Awards, being introduced by Rod Stewart and playing guitar in the audience aisle…as LL COOL J was cheering him on! 

Tommy eventually disappeared from my musical landscape, but then he turned up in one of my favorite bands of all-time, Buzz Zeemer – but that's another story for another day! Thanks for allowing me to share my memories of Tommy Conwell. I miss those days. They were a blast!"

Columbia Records Press Release - January 1989

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' Rumble. [July 9 - August 9] 

From the Columbia Records Press and Publicity Department:

For Immediate Release 

January 20, 1989 

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers To Play At American Music Awards: “If We Never Meet Again” Is Second Single and Video from ‘Rumble’ LP 

Columbia recording group Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers, whose non-stop touring schedule takes them to California this last week of January, are set to perform live on the 16th annual “American Music Awards,” the 3-hour special to be broadcast on the ABC-TV network next Monday night, January 30th, 8-11 p.m. (Eastern and Pacific). 

The Young Rumblers have been touring actively since the release of Rumble last summer, their first album for Columbia, produced by Rick Chertoff. With the overwhelming success of their second single, “If We Never Meet Again” – top 10 Most Active in R + R (Radio and Records) this week – Conwell has added even more followers. 

Upcoming dates in California include The Stand in Redondo Beach (January 25th), Bachanal in San Diego (26), The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano (27), and The Stone in San Francisco (February 1st). In addition, a live taping is scheduled for the Arsenio Hall Show on Friday, February 3rd, with guests Don King and Mike Tyson. 

Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers comprise Tommy Conwell on vocals and guitar, keyboardist Rob Miller, guitarist Christopher Day, bassist Paul Slivka, and drummer Jim Hannum.

Reaching Out Through Music

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' Rumble. [July 9 - August 9]

For as long as I can remember, I've always had an intense passion for music.

When I first started listening to Tommy Conwell and his music, it brought me back to the great true foundation artists – as I call them – namely the founders of rock ‘n’ roll.

Back in 1988, I was a lifelong fan of Philly radio and especially WMMR. But I was too young to  attend all the hot Philly talent playing local venues like the Chestnut Cabaret - you had to be 21 years old to get into the clubs!

My love of Tommy Conwell started when I heard the song "I'm Not Your Man" – and the message and lyrics of the song were perfectly in sync with a relationship I was experiencing at that time. It never ceases to amaze me when an artist can capture how I'm feeling.

When I heard this song, I called WMMR immediately. The DJ gave me the scoop about Tommy and his Young Rumblers. And the station even aired my call because they said I was so enthusiastic!

Of course, there was no social media back then. I was an avid reader of Circus Magazine and part of a rock fan pen pal circle from all across the country. We would make mix tapes of our local bands and share them with others. Needless to say I was sending Tommy's music to people as far away as Hawaii, Colorado, Virginia, Washington, etc.

One of my best memories was the thrill I had in seeing Tommy appear on the American Music Awards in 1989! A lot of my pen pal circle at the time saw the performance as well – it led to a lifelong love of Tommy's music.

American Music Awards 1989 - Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers

Tommy and the Young Rumblers perform "Love's On Fire."

The following is a recreation of many similar conversations DJ Caterina has had in reference to a certain video performance clip. Names are fictitious to protect the innocent, except for DJ Caterina. Because if you don't know me by now, you will never never never know me...
 
John Doe: Hi, DJ Caterina! Do you have a copy of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers performance of "Love's On Fire" at the American Music Awards in January of 1989? Can you post it?

DJ Caterina: Hi! Thanks for asking! Great question and a highly popular request around awards season. Yes, I own a copy. No, I can't post it.

John Doe: What?!!

DJ Caterina: Well, "John" -- if you must know -- here's the story. Video of Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers' performance of "Love's On Fire" has been posted to YouTube several times by many others - but not by me, DJ Caterina. And each time the video makes an appearance, it has been forcibly taken down by those who own the copyright. 

In summary, you will not find an embedded post of this video on Audio Rumble.

John Doe: Ah, man. I really was hoping to see that. 

DJ Caterina: Yeah, sorry to disappoint you. It's an awesome video. Quite a shame, really.