When We're Singin'

Partridge Family Music,Susan Dey

Audio Clip: WBWC 88.3 Interview and PF music with Dennis King!

70s Radio, Partridge Family, Shirley Jones, Susan DeyJohn MillerComment

Here's the link for my interview last night on WBWC 88.3 with host Dennis King. Jeff Pike, a big supporter of WHEN WE'RE SINGIN', called in last night from Georgia and afterward he put together an edit of the full three hours so that we could share only the part of the show that was "All Partridge." (an hour and 23 min) Thanks a million, Jeff! This interview was really fun because it was so casual, and King is a big PF fan himself. I hope you like it.

Author Series Event announced, ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME, August 29th!

70s Music, David Cassidy, Partridge Family, Shirley Jones, Danny Bonaduce, Susan DeyJohn Miller1 Comment
Come check out WHEN WE'RE SINGIN' and meet the author at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

Come check out WHEN WE'RE SINGIN' and meet the author at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland Ohio has announced WHEN WE'RE SINGIN' as part of their Author Series program. On Tuesday evening, August 29th at 7PM I will be doing a Keynote presentation about The Partridge Family and WHEN WE'RE SINGIN', with a Q & A and book signing to follow. The presentation will include behind the scenes photos of The Partridge Family cast and many others who worked on the show and the music. The evening's events are scheduled from 7-9PM, with doors opening at 6:30PM. This special Author Series event will take place at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Library & Archives, 2809 Woodland Avenue, Cleveland, OH. (Reading Room) The event is free with a Reservation. Simply RSVP at ticketing.rockhall.com  Here's the direct link: https://www.rockhall.com/author-series-johnny-ray-miller

Hope to see some of you there! - Johnny

THE BUS TOUR - A SCHEDULE OF BOOK SIGNINGS!

70s Music, Wrecking Crew, Partridge Family Music, David CassidyJohn MillerComment

Ready for the bus tour?

Here is a list of locations and dates for upcoming Author events and book signings! The bus ticket is free! Come along for the ride!!

APRIL 22, Half Price Books, 1607 Golden Gate Plaza, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124, In-store book signing, 1PM - 3PM

APRIL 29, Muggswigz Coffee and Tea Co., Lake Cable, 5854 Fulton Rd. NW, Canton, OH, 44718, In-store book signing 10AM – 2PM

APRIL 29, Barnes & Noble, 4015 Medina Road, Akron, OH 44333, In-store book signing 3PM - 5PM

MAY 6, Muggswigz Coffee and Tea Co., Portage Lakes, 3452 Manchester Rd, Akron, OH 44319, In-store book signing 10AM to 2PM.

MAY 13, Half Price Books, 4000 Oxford Drive, Bethel Park, PA 15102, In-store book signing, 2pm – 4pm 

MAY 20, Muggswigz Coffee and Tea Co., 137 Walnut Ave. NW, Canton, OH, 44702, In-store book signing 10am – 2pm 

JUNE 2, Carpe Diem Coffee Shop, 215 Market Ave N, Canton, OH 44702. In-store book signing 6pm – 9pm 

JUNE 10, Barnes & Noble, 7900 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH 44060, In-store book signing 2pm – 5pm

SEPTEMBER 9, Geauga County Library -Middlefield Branch, 15982 East High Street, Middlefield, OH 44062, Video presentation, talk and book signing 2PM

SEPTEMBER 14, 15, 16, Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, PO Box 52, Whiteford, MD 21160, Video Presentation, talk and book signing

OCTOBER 7, Passages & Prose Literary event (Book Festival), 20th Century Club, Oakland, PA Presentation and book signing Time: TBA

OCTOBER 11, Geauga County Library – Chardon Branch, 110 East Park Street, Chardon, OH 44024, Slide show, talk and book signing 7PM

NOVEMBER 12, Geauga County Library – Bainbridge Branch, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023, Slide show, talk and book signing, 2PM

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Library & Archives, 2809 Woodland Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115, Author event, presentation and book signing *Date and Time TBA

 

 

 

 

FIRST BOOK SINGING with HALF PRICE BOOKS, Saturday, April 22, Mayfield Heights OH!

70s Music, Partridge Family Music, Shirley Jones, Wrecking Crew, David CassidyJohn MillerComment

I hope to see some of you from the Cleveland/Akron/Canton area this coming Saturday, April 22! It will be my first book signing with HALF PRICE BOOKS, one of my favorite book stores! They have all kinds of things at this store, from books to CD's, to DVDs and vinyl! I'll be signing books from 1-3PM. Half Price Books, 1607 Golden Gate Plaza, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124.

IN PRAISE OF THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY - a feature story in the Vindicator!

70s Music, Cassidy Concerts, Celebrity Photos, Danny Bonaduce, David Cassidy, Partridge Family, Shirley Jones, Susan Dey, Suzanne Crough, Brian ForsterJohn MillerComment

A couple weeks ago, I appeared on Youngstown's WFMJ Midday news with anchor Jennifer Brindisi. Immediately afterword, I was called by the Vindicator, who wanted to put together a feature story on the book. The article ran today. Here's a scan of the hard copy, and I've also included the full article from the online version as well. Here's the link: http://bit.ly/2kIh3tq

vindy article scan 2.jpg

Danny Tweets Again! "Come On Get Happy"

70s Music, 1970s, Danny Bonaduce, David Cassidy, Partridge Family, Partridge Family Music, Shirley Jones, Susan Dey, Suzanne Crough, Wrecking CrewJohn MillerComment

Hey Gang! Danny's on a roll! His Latest tweet: "Brought my lunch to work in this today. What the hell? Come on Get Happy!" 

Celebrating a TV and Music legacy...Spread the word..WhenWereSingin.com! Follow Danny on Twitter @theDoochMan. Follow David Cassidy on Twitter @DavidbCassidy! 

Everyone on the bus! :)

DANNY BONADUCE Tweets support today for WHEN WE'RE SINGIN'!!

Brian Forster, 70s Music, David Cassidy, Partridge Family, Wrecking Crew, Danny Bonaduce, Shirley Jones, Susan DeyJohn MillerComment

Hey gang!

DANNY BONADUCE tweeted this pic, along with a great comment about the book!

Read his tweet: "Just received my copy of a great new book about The Partridge Family. It's 467 pages. I had no idea we were this important."

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER, EVERYONE! TWEET, RE-TWEET AND SPREAD THE NEWS!!! :) Come on get REALLY happy!!!

5, 4, 3, 2....We're Off To Print! Release Date set!

1970s, 70s Music, David Cassidy, Partridge Family TV Show, Partridge Family Music, Wrecking CrewJohn Miller2 Comments

We're off to print!

After a long week of Kristina, Donna and I working nearly round the clock, the book went to print earlier today!

I'd like to thank all of you for your extraordinary patience. I, too, never dreamed how much time it would take for this project to complete, but I can tell you this: It is because of YOU, the fans, that this book has finally made it's way to reality. Because of YOU, the book was controlled by a group of professionals who care enough to release the best possible book on The Partridge Family and their music, filled with the kinds of detailed information fans have wanted for years and years.

Check out the final artwork for the book cover!

Check out the final artwork for the book cover!

The 64 page color photo section is also another extraordinary accomplishment. Rarely does a book like this see a full color section in the middle, let alone 64 pages!  But YOU wanted it, and YOU funded it and that is testament to the passion we all share for the music of The Partridge Family.

I am thankful that avenues such as Kickstarter exist today, making it possible for all of us to speak, and to act on what we want. There is no publisher on the planet who would have released a book as thorough and elaborate as this, and it all happened because of you. 

In the coming days and weeks, I will be here, telling you more about the book and its contents. I thank you again, wholeheartedly, for your support, your patience, and most of all, your undying love for all things Partridge! 

RELEASE DATE:

On December 9, 2016, "When We're Singin' - The Partridge Family & Their Music" will be officially released! The book (originally planned for 410 pages) is a whopping 504 pages with the 64-page color photo section taking it to a grand total of 568 pages! 

"When We're Singin'" is a LIMITED EDITION hard back, available exclusively through the website, WhenWereSingin.com. "You can pre-order When We're Singin'" in time for Christmas by going to the link on the website now! 

Be sure to sign up for the "daily blog" to receive updates that will come directly to your email inbox!  I will be back to share more information and exciting details during the days and weeks to come! 

Hop on the bus, everyone! It's time to move on to the next stop!

 

The Final Countdown!

1970s, David Cassidy, Kickstarter, Partridge Family Music, Partridge Family TV ShowJohn MillerComment

Hi gang!

I'm ready to begin the final countdown with all of you, as we are now getting very close to the actual release date!

David Cassidy concert promo 2.jpg

Some updates for you:

While the photo section has been done, the actual layout of the book, the design, was done in early June. BUT...

...we ended up about 50 pages over budget. So I have spent countless hours with our amazing editor, Donna Spencer, determining what we can do to bring the page count down a bit. After long discussions, rather than sacrificing pertinent information contained in the extra pages (which would have needed to be cut in order to fit), our designer is going to reformat the book, and lay it out all over again for the second time. I suspect this process will take about a week. Donna will be working on final edits this coming week before it goes to the designer.

I'm going to begin sharing with you, a countdown to release, because I think it will be fun to share the excitement of the book's arrival, together. I know it has been six months longer than originally anticipated, but rest assured that the reasons lay in the careful focus on detail and content.

I will be back with you at least weekly from now until release, if not more frequently.

On another note, all backers have all been listed on the website as funders of this project, and I sent out a survey over a month ago through the Kickstarter update program asking for any corrections to your names, spellings, things like that. There are still several people who haven't responded, so if you are a backer, would you please go to the backer list on this site and take a look at your names and make sure it is listed to your satisfactory. Any further edits have to be submitted by Tuesday of this week if we are going to make them. You can email me at JohnnyRayMiller1@gmail.com.

Thanks again for your patience. I'll be back very shortly with a countdown of events!

John

A Long, Overdue THANK YOU to Jason Snyder!

1970s, 70s Music, David Cassidy, Partridge Family, Partridge Family MusicJohn MillerComment

A giant, heartfelt, and long overdue thank you to my buddy Jason Snyder, who has been on board with this book from the very beginning.

Jason is the guy with the bionic ear, who has helped me interpret countless pieces of audio transcript when my ears could not distinguish exactly what was said. Jason and those amazing ears cleared up dozens of details that otherwise would have been lost in transcript. In addition, he was able to help isolate various lyrics in the songs that have been written incorrectly on most lyric sites, and even liner notes from as far back as the ‘70s. 

Jason especially worked countless hours on the transcription of material making this one of the smoothest processes of all the various stages in putting together this book. I can’t tell you all how grateful I am to have this man on the team, and for all the crazy amount of time and work he has put into making this happen.

Thank you so very much, Jason! I couldn’t have done it without you!

4 Hours of Partridge Family music on WUSB.FM Radio, tonight!

70s Music, David Cassidy, Partridge Family MusicJohn Miller1 Comment

I hope you will all join us on WUSB.FM Radio, tonight between 6-10PM for non-stop Partridge Family music, trivia on the songs and the songwriters, and a special guest appearance by Brian Forster!

The Radio show, Captain Rockits Time Machine, hosted by DJ Roger Passero has been expanded from the usual 2-hours to 4 hours based on the overwhelming interest in The Partridge Family music! What a way to celebrate the 45th Anniversary!  http://wusb.fm/

"When We're Singin'" Available for Pre-Order NOW!

70s Music, Cassidy Concerts, Kickstarter, Partridge Family Music, Partridge Family TV Show, Wrecking CrewJohn Miller2 Comments

Hey gang!  It's official! "When We're Singin' - The Partridge Family and their Music" is now available for pre-order ONLY through this site!

The cost of the book is $29.99 and you can pre-order it by going to the new link on the site, PRE-ORDER THE BOOK.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer! We will have more news and updates on the book's progress in the coming weeks! Watch for regular blog postings as we go forward. If you haven't already done so, please sign up for the daily BLOG and you will receive the blogs directly to your  email!

The Partridge Family and their famous Mondrian-inspired bus!

The Partridge Family and their famous Mondrian-inspired bus!

More to come as it unfolds....


Thank You All So Very Much! Now the bus pulls out...

1970s, 70s Music, Announcements, David Cassidy, Kickstarter, Partridge Family Music, Wrecking Crew, songwritersJohn MillerComment

As we get ready for the next part of our ride, I would like to express my deepest gratitude once again, to you, my backers, who collectively decided this book must come to the shelves. Thank you so very much.

Plans for the Kickstarter campaign began over a year ago, and I’d also like to thank some of the behind-the-scenes people who worked with full energy and commitment to make this campaign succeed. 

Let’s start with my good friend and incredible talent, writer/musician Ken Sharp. The Kickstarter campaign was Ken’s idea and he kept me grounded and focused. Thank you, Ken, a thousand times over.

Ken was introduced to me by Barbara Pazmino, President of the U.S. division of the “Just David” Fan Club who knew of the "Partridge Connection" we shared. Thanks Barbara, for recognizing the potential, for connecting us, and for spreading the word about this campaign every day. 

From the very early stages of planning, Kirk Poffenberger  sat with me in his office at The Design Studio and said “let’s do it.”  Kirk is the guy who designed the book jacket and all the variations of its “look” used on many of the items—the denim patch, the sticker pack, the book marks, the lyric sheets, the website and most notably the guitar—our grand prize. Thank you, Kirk!

Speaking of which, I’d like to announce Debbie Daum as the grand prize taker! Debbie grabbed the guitar towards the final days of the campaign and pushed our numbers wildly up! We will be featuring a photo of Debbie with the guitar in the coming months. The guitar, a Squier by Fender, is signed by 3 of the greatest session guitar players of all time. Thanks, Debbie, for hopping on the bus and landing with a splash!  Which brings me to….

…the very special thanks I have to all the artists, producers, actors and executives associated with The Partridge Family TV show and albums who so graciously signed countless pieces of memorabilia for this campaign. Each and every one of them truly wanted to see this campaign succeed. Beverly Weinstein, Bob Claver, Mike Appel, L. Russell Brown, Ken Jacobson, David Price, Bobby Hart, Diane Hildebrand, Jeremy Gelbwaks, Brian Forster, Terry Cashman, Steve Dossick, Marty Kaniger, Dan Peyton, Glen Hanson, Joe Osborn, Hal Blaine, Max Bennett, Dennis Budimir, John Bahler, Tom Bahler, Jackie Ward, Ron Hicklin, and the great Henry Diltz--Thank you all so very, very much. Your generosity was over-flowing. 

Tim DeBacco--Pittsburgh boy,  and Partridge Family Fan! Tim is responsible for the website you see, and the ease by which it can be navigated. He spent countless hours working on this, and continues to keep it maintained. He also designed the newsletter. Thank you, Tim, from the depths of the Partridge Family garage!

Mary Hertweck, Stacy Jo Coffee-Thorne and Mary Lou Nelson-- who relentlessly kept the campaign alive on all the David Cassidy and Partridge Family fan sites with their time and enthusiasm. Thank you all so very much.

Tina Funk-- my dear friend in Germany who runs the other half of the “Just David” Fan Club for the German and European fans, also continued to pass around the information I sent each day, along with Barbara. Thank you, Tina, for all the heart.

Jane Reaburn-- All the way from Australia, Jane manages David Cassidy’s Official website and Facebook page. Jane had those offers and posts up on David’s Facebook page faster than lighting! Thanks Jane, so very, very much! 

Jim Salamanis--also from Australia, Jim exudes so much energy across the entire planet that no one can possibly miss it! Jim sent countless emails out to fans all over the world for weeks on end. Thank you Jim for all your amazing support!

And Dave Thomas—my film-making, writer-director-of-all-things “whimming” who disguises himself as an entertainment attorney by day. What would I ever do without you, dude?

Last but not least, Donna Spencer—our copy editor who hopped on the bus in faith it would all happen. Ready Donna? The bus stops at your place next! 

As we move forward, please, everyone, make sure that you sign up for BOTH the newsletter AND the daily blogs. The newsletter will only be put out once a month at most, but the blog will hit your email with more immediate news as it happens. Both will be delivered right to your email.

I'll be back with you as news unfolds. For now, we proceed with copy editing. The bus is moving forward...

Thanks everyone!

Johnny Ray Miller

THIS JUST IN! - 'Partridge Family' Executive Producer Bob Claver offers to sign books!

1970s, David Cassidy, Kickstarter, Partridge Family Music, Partridge Family TV ShowJohn MillerComment

I just received an email from Executive Producer Bob Claver, and he has offered to sign books for anyone who buys the book exclusively through THIS CAMPAIGN!  He will autograph them and personally inscribe them to YOU! 

When you receive your book in December, you can then send it to Bob and he will sign it, AND he has offered to pay for the return postage!  This is an INCREDIBLY kind gesture!  This offer is good for everyone who has already pledged for the book, and ALL NEWCOMERS who pledge before the campaign ends! But hurry, because you only have 24 hours left! The campaign ends Sunday night, May 31 at 10PM (EST.) The retail cost of the book has not been set yet, but it will not cost any less than pledging for it here in the campaign, so don't miss out on this! These books are certain to become highly collectible. 

If you recall, Bob Claver began his career on "Captain Kangaroo," and he is especially proud to have  produced TV programs like "The Partridge Family" that had a positive influence on children. 

Bob was one of the first five interviews I conducted in the fall of 2010, just after speaking with Shirley Jones. He spent well over 2 hours with me on the telephone, and left the door open for more. He is an incredibly kind and caring man, and his family is the same.

Wow...talk about "getting happy!" 

24 hours to go!

 

Final Offers: Diltz Photos, "Whale Song" Bundle

1970s, 70s Music, Announcements, Celebrity photographers, Celebrity Photos, David Cassidy, Kickstarter, Partridge Family Music, Partridge Family TV Show, Screen Gems Records, songwritersJohn MillerComment

There is still one more photo from Henry Diltz available, and some other offers to look at as we head for the final 2-days left in the campaign.

David and his dog, Bullseye!

David and his dog, Bullseye!

Henry Diltz offered a total of 11 photos for the campaign. This is the one remaining photo yet to be seen. It is David with his beloved dog, Bullseye. 

If anyone would still like to pick any of the previous special offers, they are back on the table through the close of the campaign. Each 8 X 10 photo is $35 for new backers, and $30 for current backers. Henry also offered us a limited number of signed 11 X 14's as well. Of the limited quantity offered, there are only 4 slots left. The signed versions are $225 for new backers and $195 for current backers. Please send me a note if you choose the 11 X 14 signed version so I can confirm that there is availability.

"Home Is Where The Heart Is" photo outtake.

"Home Is Where The Heart Is" photo outtake.

David on horse, from the "Cherish" photo sessions.

David on horse, from the "Cherish" photo sessions.

Quintessetial David!

Quintessetial David!

David playing Eukele!

David playing Eukele!

"Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes" photo outtake. 1973.

"Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes" photo outtake. 1973.

David promoting "Keep Australia Beautiful" campaign.

David promoting "Keep Australia Beautiful" campaign.

For our final offer, we have the "Whale Song" Bundle. You get a lyric sheet commemorative of "Whale Song" along with one of the hand-written lyric sheets, written and signed by Marty Kaniger, for $250. These are quite special in that BOTH of the songwriters who wrote this song have signed BOTH the commemoratives and the hand-written lyric sheets. 

"Whale Song" lyric commemorative, signed by BOTH songwriters, Dan Peyton and Marty Kaniger. 

"Whale Song" lyric commemorative, signed by BOTH songwriters, Dan Peyton and Marty Kaniger. 

"Whale Song" hand-written lyrics. Written by Marty Kaniger and signed by Marty Kaniger and Dan Peyton.

"Whale Song" hand-written lyrics. Written by Marty Kaniger and signed by Marty Kaniger and Dan Peyton.

"Whale Song" was one of the rare times Shirley Jones sang solo on the show, and certainly the most memorable. It has become one of the most-requested unreleased songs. The story behind "Whale Song" is also one of the most intriguing stories behind any of the Partridge Family songs! Guaranteed to surprise and engage! 

Thank you, my good friends, supporters and incredible songwriters, Marty Kaniger and Dan Peyton for this one! We are so grateful! 

Hop on the bus, last bend!

YOU are all so amazing. THANK YOU.

1970s, David Cassidy, Partridge Family Music, Partridge Family TV ShowJohn Miller1 Comment

Last night I sat on my computer planning the final offer I was going to put up for the campaign. Suddenly I found myself engaged in watching the numbers move, slowly but steadily,  almost moment by moment. It became very exciting. 

Other than the last month, I have not been one to engage is social media very much. But there I was, completely captivated. I was watching friends of mine who I haven't seen since High School  coming on to my backer list. Friends from my young childhood neighborhood, my community and neighboring communities, to my current neighborhood. I started thinking about the others who have come on through the month--friends from my film days, my theatre days, my airline days, even my young days from my very first job in fast food!  My college life-guarding days, days of summer stock, and post-college days when we made our gritty, low-budget independent films in Cleveland,  Boston and Dallas. To my surprise I watched some of those great songwriters and singers, musicians, producers and performers who I interviewed for this book--and expected nothing more from--coming on board to back us. And then there are all of those impassioned Partridge Family and David Cassidy fans who, like me, have wanted a book about this music for a very, very long time.  You were there.

All of you  are testament to what can be accomplished when people work together and pull together. In the big scheme of life, our little book is just a spec. But it's an important spec to us, and to all those Partridge Family and David Cassidy fans that just want to celebrate and bring credibility to a body of music that has deserved it for 45 years. This music is as important to music history, TV history, and our own quiet solitude at the end of the day, as anything else in life that brings a little contentment. 

You are part of making something happen that will live on in the libraries of music history long past our time together on this earth. You have made something possible that does the world a little good--you are making people happy.  

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart to my mangled fingers that have been typing non-stop for thirty days, to my six ulcers that I'd like to think are temporary to the month of May. Now on to the next phase. 

Since we still have two days left (finishing at 10PM Sunday), I am going to put up the final photo offer from Henry Diltz and also make the previous photos available again-along with a few other surprises. Anything that comes in from this point forward will go towards increasing the production level of photos and photo pages planned for the book, as well as tossing some money toward the professionals who donated their time to this book, simply because of  the music. 

"There's nothing better than bein' together.." ..right? ..."WHEN WE'RE SINGIN'."  (yeah, I know, I know... I couldn't resist!)

-Johnny Ray Miller

48-Hour offer: "Dreams" photo outtake!

1970s, 70s Music, Announcements, Celebrity photographers, Celebrity Photos, David Cassidy, David Cassidy Concerts, Kickstarter, Partridge Family Music, Partridge Family TV Show, Teen MagazinesJohn Miller1 Comment

This is the 2nd of the final three photos that will be offered during the final week of the campaign, courtesy of Henry Diltz.

David Cassidy in his pool, July 1973. From the sessions that produced "Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes."

David Cassidy in his pool, July 1973. From the sessions that produced "Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes."

This great shot of David was taken at his home while hanging out with Henry by the pool. The photo is from 1973, and it's one of the session outtakes for David's "Dreams Are Nuthin' More Than Wishes" LP--the 3rd Cassidy solo album, and the one that reflected David's real personality and musical interests at that time. 

For new backers, pledge $35 and you will receive an 8 X 10 high resolution print, or in Henry's  EXTREMELY rare offer, you can choose a signed 11 X 14 for only $225!  If you are a current backer, you can add the 8 X 10 to your pledge for only $30, and the signed 11 X 14 for only $195! THE SIGNED 11 X 14'S ARE LIMITED TO ONLY 3!

This 48-hour offer is good until midnight, May 29, 2015! We need to put the campaign OVER THE TOP! We are at 92% of our funding goal with three days to go!  Hop on the bus, everyone! Let's publish "When We're Singin'!"