A 1) Repository of Demos & Drafts ORIGINAL MISC. SONGS written by DC (w/ others)

Lyrics by my hubby Dennis Chandler & my brother Phil Smoluk. Music by Composer-Dennis. Vocals by Dennis who also played guitar, organ, piano and bass. Ernie Nachtigal on drums. Click on the title to hear the song …

If I Had It To Do Over Again

If I Had it To Do Over Again

Another one for …

JUBILEE

About THE SONGWRITING CONTRACT … offered us on … “If I Had It To Do Over Again”

1977 … those contracts were of the kind that are called … Contracts of 360 Degrees. Again … defined by many as … “A lock on all that one does”. Who would that “one” be, so to speak? The driving wheel of our creative endeavors … Chandler-the-Chameleon. Dennis would not have been able to do many of the various and sundry “stuff” …. that he wanted to do … (at that time). Is it any wonder many declined this type of deal. Musician Dennis did. Wordsmith Phil did … and I did,too.

BACK STORY about … “Right Here, Right Now (Turn Love On)”

RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW

The song was inspired by Gladys Knight. As a matter of fact, I found in the files … contracts that included this song. Some of the other contracts offered … were for my hubby Dennis, my brother Phil Smoluk and me. Read on …

2024 … Re-organizing has me finding these raw demos. I am prioritizing … playing back the reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes. Trying to figure out … what to transfer so I can upload … for your listening and dancing pleasure. Wish me luck.

I shredded the paper files and correspondence … from SAS Publishing … a division of the management firm for BB King and Gladys Knight. The files were too faded, (so to speak). But, the songs are not. I will not let them fade away.

Speaking of the above-mentioned musical giant … the great songstress … Gladys Knight … Perhaps a past musical tie … might come back into our life. Actually he’s still in our life … via God’s Cyberspace … (he’s a Facebook Friend). Who? The great Gladys’ … groovy percussionist … Elijah Gilmore. Thanks to our Amigo from Argentina Michael Paley … we had the pleasure of hosting him … here in our home in Solon, Ohio. We had quite the Musicales. I dubbed them “A Salon in Solon”. As a result Migel brought Elijah over to jam for one of them. Maybe we can do it again … right here … right now. OK, after Gilmore gets a night off … Gladys gets a night off. Maybe make it more than one night. Make it with more than one musician. (Hmm, GK’s hubby sing?)

BACK STORY about … “Keep On Trying” …

What we wanted for the 1977 song … was for it to be sung by an ALL INCLUSIVE CHOIR. We envisioned singers Gladys Knight … BBK … fronting a choir.

Words by Tom Schuck and Dennis Chandler. Music by Composer Chandler. Instrumentation, arrangement and recording by DC. Vocals by Dennis and Tom.

Click on the title to hear the song …

KEEP ON TRYING

Back Stage at BB’s 1999 Easter Sunday Concert

The above photo … I was told … was taken by the brother of Mary Bridget Davies. Who is she? At the time … an up and coming singer.

One whose CD … BB asked us to … send to Sid Seidenberg. We did. I do NOT know if SAS … the publishing arm of BBK & GK … did anything for her. But we just knew … she was destined for more … than Sid … could do for her. She did it herself, no doubt. What was that? Jumped from Playhouse Square … to … Times Square. Why do I put it like that? ….

2014 … MBD was nominated for a Tony award for Best Lead Actress in a musical … playing Janis Joplin! See … Dreams really do come true. So happy for her.

Go to … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bridget_Davies

Perhaps here in 2024 … we could interest her … in some songs. A duet with Dennis … or better yet … with GK and a choir. We’ll … just … keep on tryin’.

Speaking of Playhouse Square … we wrote … and … then Dennis did these demos. I forgot about them … until I found them … in the files. So I included them in this Archive.

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE JINGLE Version 1

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE II

Fences

Lyrics by Dennis Chandler & Clebert Ford. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC … who also did the vocals.

The long, long BACKSTORY about Fences is on this website’s page … link ..,

https://dennischandler.com/index.php/fences-the-song/

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Back to … 2024 … IT’S A HAPPY NEW YEAR … FOR THE BEST IS YET TO BE

June 15, 2023 … Our Life Changed Forever … for The Better

Happy Anniversary. Our World keeps changing for the better. We thank Him. . Liz & Dennis Chandler. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kwC0QFwXB0
What a weave of Tapestry threads. Here is the backstory of one very special day during DC’s 10 years of teaching at United Steelworkers of America Local 979. On June 15, 2023 … into Dennis’ classroom comes his fellow ICD Instructor, Willie Bailey. He is accompanied by … Diane Schuck. She has in tow … Tom … (her hubby of 30+ years). FYI: 40+ years ago … Tom and Den were writing songs as collaborators (along with me and my big brother, Phil). BOOM! So … SINCE THAT SURPRISE REUNION … it’s been … “Den & Tom Together Again”. That’s what I meant by … our World changed for the better on June 15, 2023.

What did I mean when I wrote, “NOW … our World KEEPS getting better!” Yes, since November 3, 2023. That’s when a fateful lunch launched this addition to our Adventure. This NEW trajectory … the listing OLD tunes … here in God’s Cyberspace. How did it happen? To reference a long ago movie title … it was … “When Worlds Collide”. Those Worlds being …Guitar and Amp Collecting … Movie and Media Memorabilia … and Making Melodic Music of All Genres. About those guys who lunched and then launched … read on.

A very special friend … a fellow guitar collector, Jeff arranged that meeting. By the way … it seems appropriate that I tell you his last name … it’s MOSES. Yes, he spoke wisely and prophetically when he LEAD … DON ARICHIABLE into our LIFE. Who is he? Although … a LONGTIME ACCLAIMED ARCHITEC, of all things MEDIA … to us … he has become … DESIGNER DON, of all things MUSICAL. Look out … look up! Like those lyrics sing, It’s Never Too Late …”

(I know it begs … questions, galore. About why Den and Tom were split … way back then … some decades ago. An answer comes to mind … “It’s complicated” … or … not. For now … who cares? Let’s celebrate … it’s all in God’s Timing, eh?)

Speaking of … SUPPORTIVE SPOUSES? That … Diane … Tom’s wife … of 30+ years? THIS wife (me) … just loves … HIS wife. She’s become … My-Sister-in-Spirit.
As for Tom? He always was there for me … in Spirit. Why do I put it that way?
When I found the old cassette tapes of Tom singing … his Spirit sang out, so to speak. I forgot that the four of us collaborated on songs … (recall I mentioned above about DC, me, my REAL brother, Phil and my PRETEND brother, Tom).
Oh! I must give credit where credit is due … it was Phil who first brought Tom into our Life … back in the mid-’70s.
2023 … On that June 15th … when my brother learned of our reunion … Phil said, “Tom can stand in for me anytime!” I think he was referring to my rattling and rambling … on our daily Cell calls to one another. (I get concerned ’cause … my brother like my husband … is also a Cancer Survivor).
But, our family influenced us to always try to … “Defuse any tense situation with laughter”. That’s why one will find Phil’s M.O. is HUMOR. And Dennis’ M.O. is … MUSIC. Tom’s M.O. is …TRIVIA. Just a Trio of Vaudevillians. Now … we get … to add to the Act … another character, so to speak. Who? Diane Schuck. That longtime USWA employee of 45 years (although her youthful appearance belies those years). As for me … I will play the role of the “Fifth Wheel”, (albeit gladly). Yes, call me “Coordinator GooGoo”. Not to worry … I will make a concerted effort to … not muck up the works. (May I remind you … that I am teaching myself all this computer stuff?)

Sooo … I can NOT express … how happy I am … that Diane is so enthused. Everything old is new again. About … this NEW chapter of these OLDE collaborators? They may be long lost … but look out … they are found.
As BB King aka Poppa BB always put it … (to us) … “The best is yet to be”. (We know what that means, don’t we?).
Check out these 2 work-in-progress webpages …
https://dennischandler.com/index.php/original-compositions/
https://dennischandler.com/index…/just-we-two-the-musical/
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BTW … What is ICD? To quote their website … “The Institute for Career Development is a contractually negotiated benefit for eligible members of the United Steelworkers USWA and the companies that employ them”.
At Cleveland Local 979 … ICD Instructor Dennis Chandler has now begun his 11th year there. It was always a Blessing. But since June 15, 2023 … he’s even more passionate about making music there … by teaching … and writing it, too … with Tom. See, I told you … our Life keeps getting better and better and better …

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“(I See) The Writing on the Wall”

Lyrics were written by my brother Phil Smoluk and my hubby Dennis Chandler. Music was written by Composer Chandler. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by Dennis … who also sang the song.

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BACK STORY about … “Where Are They Now”

WRITING ON THE WALL

A Collage & A Song for Chameleon Chandler’s Crazy Quilt of Life Experiences

It was inspired by TRAVELING TROUBADOURS DOLLY PARTON, WILLIE NELSON, etc. Dennis has YET to meet Willie … but those peeps that he DID meet … are in the collage below. This song is DEDICATED to them. Most all of those pictured … taught Dennis … FIRSTHAND … and … IN THE AGE OLD … ORAL TRADITION. What’s that? They had him sitting at their knee … saying to him, “Alrighty. Good. Good. Now try this way …” They gave so lovingly and freely to him … their music. Rare for those times, those places. Many are gone now. But their Memory is a Blessing. And we know where they are, now.

Lyrics were written by my brother Phil Smoluk and my hubby Dennis Chandler. Music was written by DC. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC … who also sang the song.

Click on the title to hear: WHERE ARE THEY NOW

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BACK STORY about … “Dancin’ to Bo Diddley”.

It was inspired by DENNIS’ FIRST GUITAR TEACHER … the ICONIC … ROCK PIONEER … BO DIDDLEY. The song won one of the AMERICAN SONG FESTIVAL AWARDS … shown below.

Lyrics were written by Phil Smoluk, Tom Schuck and Dennis Chandler. The song is in tribute to TEACHER-BO. STUDENT-DENNIS’ doin’ it … DIDDLEY STYLE. Arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC … who also sang the song.

Click on the title to hear the song.

Dancin To Bo Diddley

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BACK STORY about … “Let Me Be Your Song”

LET ME YOUR SONG

It was … inspired by the ICONIC Barbra Streisand … with whom we have yet … to make a connection. I say “yet” because … we can always hope, no? How so? A FAN of PIANIST-DENNIS … said she might have a way … via a relative of hers … to connect DC to BS. But first I was asked … by that fan of DC’s … “What has been written about DC that I could share?” Hence all this info here … and on Face Book.

BTW: Back in the day … we told BB King about DC’s admiration for her talents. Her voice, in particular. It plays in Dennis’ mind, (so to speak). Poppa BB implied that BS would be easy to talk to. Why? BB said when the two of them met … she was warm and gracious. He offered to help with a hookup, (so to speak) … from one artist to another, he said. But, it wasn’t meant to be … sadly, Poppa BB passed (in 2015).

BB is gone … but Barbra is still here. That’s why … we say, “we have yet to meet her”. It seems like a long way to go … however … there is an axiom … that … all-politics-is-local syndrome. I think it just might be in play here. How so? That someone who proferred the info … about a relative of hers … having done a Broadway project with the songbird? Well, that-fan-of-Pianist-Dennis … she moved not too far from us. (Three miles away… “close enough for rock and roll”, as the saying goes). See, all politics is local.

BTW she’s one of the many fine folks who asked for info (on DC). That’s why I decided to data-enter all this stuff … the songs … the stories. Hence me signing off often as … web writer Liz Chandler aka Mrs. Dennis aka Archivist.

Wish us well. So we get to hook up again with that-fan-of-Pianist-Dennis. Maybe when he gets to play at the new residence of Fan-Marcie. And hope that …. Archivist-Me … gets more knowledgeable about how to present the music. Maybe even how to Zoom … Stream … Upload. Make … Click Reels, Videos, etc. Why? Well … to quote another song … that Composer-Chandler did for playwright Larry Brenner’s stage play, “Just We Two” … “Maybe Someday” … the music will get to … The Great White Way. To learn more … go to this website’s page … titled, “As Composer Chandler: 2 Staged Musicals Thus Far”. Click on this link … https://dennischandler.com/index.php/just-we-two-the-musical/

Until then we will … to paraphrase Barbra … “Keep chasing … dreams” … (Barbra, can you hear me?”) …

More Back Story about … “Let Me Be Your Song”

The lyrics were written by my brother Phil Smoluk and me … aka Liz Smoluk Chandler. Music was written by my hubby and Soulmate … aka … Composer Chandler. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer-Dennis. The melodious vocals for this demo are by Tom Schuck.

LET ME YOUR SONG

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BTW: What won this song’s … first GOOD GRADE and RAVE REVIEW … was not a recorded demo. It was a live rendition. How, where, when, who … made that happen? The great GAMBLE & HUFF. Who? Learn about them at …

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamble_and_Huff

https://www.songhall.org/awards/winner/kenneth_gamble_leon_huff

Back story is … the great Gamble & Huff held several series of SONGWRITING SEMINARS. The LEGENDS from the label called THE SOUNDS OF PHILLY … were in NYC … this time. There they conducted classes for composers.

My brother Phil took it upon himself to travel to Manhattan to pitch some of our songs. He had no demo to present … just the song. Phil is not a musician … he is a lyricist.(I call him a wordsmith … a sounding board on all things written!) Fortunately for us … the judges were real creative-types. The song was presented with just sheet music … and sung by an unknown.

Upon hearing this song … Gamble & Huff … gave it A RAVE REVIEW. We were told they loved the song so much … they used it as an example to others at their events.

So what happened after? The producers offered the kind of contract I previously mentioned above. Recall the one with BBK & Gladys’ management? The ones often called … Contracts of 360 Degrees? Again … defined by many as … “A lock on all that one does”. Who would that “one” be, so to speak? The driving wheel of our creative endeavors … Chandler-the-Chameleon. Dennis would not have been able to do many of the various and sundry “stuff” …. that he wanted to do … (at that time).

We were considering them. (After all, it was Gamble & Huff!) Then we got diverted … different directions, etc. Life took us all down … and loaded us down … with our respective familia responsibilities. Of course, later down the road … came those health hurdles I wrote about on this website’s page titled, “A Journey: Dennis Beats AML Leukemia”. Here is the link … https://dennischandler.com/index.php/the-journey/

Down, down, down … words used too much back then. But … wait! Those words became lyrics for a song … (Check out, “Don’t Be Feelin’ Down … Don’t Be Feelin’ Low”). But back to … “Let Me Be Your Song”.

So albeit belatedly, I posted the CRITIQUE from PRODUCERS GAMBLE & HUFF. Why? Because I believe it is … IT’S NEVER TOO LATE. Another believer was a neighbor from our North Hill community … Lou Kassouf, of Blessed Memory. After seeing jogger-Dennis back to running again … she said she wrote out what she “was given from Above” … then mailed it. (Although she could have dropped it off to our mailbox. I’m glad she did … the postmark of her “discernment” is invaluable. It was after Dennis did beat cancer … and those experimental chemo treatments! Here is the link to read on this websites’ page, “A Heavenly Music Prophecy for Dennis” … https://dennischandler.com/index.php/prophecy-for-dc/

By the way, these notes I only recently found while decluttering Dennis’ files. Seems Spring came a little early this year … Spring cleaning, that is. But blossoms do bloom … and they sometimes bloom late … and I hear a songbird. Yes, Babs is buzzin’ in my brain.

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Now Back Story to this Blues Tune

Up’s The Only Way I Can Go

Speaking of ICONIC … Bluesmasters … that’s BOBBY BLUE BLAND. He asked Dennis to write something for him. Dennis did. Sadly, BBB did not get to record this song. The words and the music were written by Dennis Chandler in homage to “DAD BLUE”, as many affectionately called him. His memory is a Blessing. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded with vocals by musician-composer DC.

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BACK STORY about … “Hard On Me”

The lyrics were written by Phil Smoluk. Music by Dennis Chandler. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded with vocals by musician-composer DC.

Click on the title to hear the song.

Hard On Me – Dennis Chandler

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A little levity with a sardonic song. Lyrics by Phil Smoluk. Music by Dennis Chandler. Instrumentation arranged, produced, recorded with vocals by musician-composer DC.

BUT, I’M TOUGH

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Summer 1993: Reunion of The Secrets.

Three songs of Dennis’ … he re-recorded in 1993. They were for one very special reunion … and for one very special group. “The Secrets”. Who? A girl group from the ’60s … who had the ’63 hit song titled, “The Boy Next Door”.

So what made this so special? These tunes brought back some rockin’ memories. Not just for them. But for Bandleader Chandler aka “the boy behind them”. As a past accompanist … Dennis did many a gig with the girls … back in the day, (as they say). But, what day? Shhh … it’s a secret.

That Secrets reunion session in 1993 … yielded a sort of mini-album, made up of original songs written by Dennis. Besides “Can You Feel It (That Rock ‘n’ Roll)” … the other songs included were … “Just a Rock ‘n’ Roll Melody” … and … (You’re) Never Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll”.

Never actually released, these songs did get some airplay by the legendary disc jockey Norm N. Nite on his then-WMJI radio show. But, that station’s Program Director felt forced to nix any more airplay. His reasoning? This material, albeit old sounding, was new and … did not fit the format of “Oldies” aka “Classic Rock”. He feared a floodgate effect of writers … submitting unpublished songs.

Nonetheless, writer-Dennis was pleased that the iconic Norm N. Nite played the songs. After all, Norm was first to go to Ahmet Ertegun … to “pitch” Cleveland as the home of the rock hall. He was pleased to hear on air again the … by-then-ten-year-old … specially written song. It was very fulfilling to hear such positive feedback. Those listeners loved the old-sounding new songs … and told Norm so. Rock on, Den did.

“Rock and Roll Melody”

“Can You Feel It (That Rock ‘n’ Roll”)

“(You’re) Never Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll”

Female Vocals by The Secrets …

“(You’re) Never Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll” … Click on the title above to hear the song sung by ’60s girl group called “The Secrets” …

Male Vocals by Dennis Chandler …

“(You’re) Never Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll” … Click on the title below to hear the song sung by Dennis …

“You’re) Never Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll”

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BACK STORY about … “Don’t Be Feelin’ Down, Don’t Be Feelin’ Low”

Upon meeting and melding musically with the iconic Harold Bradley … a GUITAR HERO to Dennis … HB asked to hear some original songs. We obliged him. Then he asked Dennis to do DEMOS for him. We did.

Who was Harold Bradley? For starters he was one of the “Nashville Cats”… celebrated and memorialized in song. Why? They were members of the “A Team” … early recording session musicians. In fact, Harold and his brother Owen Bradley built the Quonset Hut … which started Nashville’s landmark Music Row. To learn more … go to … https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/hall-of-fame/harold-bradley

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzmBzbu40ys

So naturally when Harold said he loved them and wanted demos sent down South … to his home. (See his biz card, etc). Well, we started to … then … sadly Harold passed.

Life took us down a different direction … that included sprinting over new health hurdles. But, now … having overcome them … we race on.

It’s 2024 … To paraphrase Oscar Hammerstein’s song … since June 15, 2023 … “June is busting out all over”, still. As up in OUR RECORDING LOFT. That’s where I found files of raw demos of our original music. That included these dubs I did … from old reel-to-reel tapes and cassettes, etc.

Perhaps it’s not too late … to plant the seeds of melody … and … bring to Harvest what Harold wanted to hear. He wanted MELODIC MUSIC to make a comeback. He wanted songs with hooks. He said … formula songs that could give the listener something to latch onto.

Pondering and wondering whom dear Harold … would have presented these tunes to? Hence this page … where I have only just begun … to post and upload the raw demos.

I could only guess what Angel Harold would like to hear … from Above. I dunno how to do You Tube … yet. But I plan to learn … Zoom, too. (Calling on Angels!)

Lyrics were written by Phil Smoluk. Music written by Dennis Chandler. Instrumentation… arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC … who also sang the song. Click on the title to hear the song.

Don’t Be Feelin’ Down, Don’t Be Feelin’ Low

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BACK STORY about … “Catch You Later”

The lyrics were written by Dennis Chandler and Tom Schuck. Music by Dennis and Charlie Adams. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC. Vocals by Dennis Chandler. Click on the title to hear the song …

CATCH YOU LATER

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Too Much Too Soon

Coal To Diamonds

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ABOUT … “Universe Park” – A homage to Cleveland’s iconic amusement park … Euclid Beach Park. The lyrics were written by Phil Smoluk. Music by Dennis Chandler. Vocals and instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC.

Click on the title to hear the song …

Universe Park – Homage to Euclid Beach Park

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About … “Willow Lady” … Written, arranged, produced and recorded by Dennis Chandler … sung by Dale Solly, of Blessed memory. Click on the title to hear the song.

Willow Lady

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About … “Smilin’ That’s Her Way” … This was written for a video farewell tribute to television talk show host, Jan Jones. It was aired on her last day on ABC affiliate WEWS TV5’s “The Morning Exchange”. Lyrics by Liz & Dennis Chandler. Vocals and instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC. Click on the title to hear the song …

Smilin’ That’s Her Way

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Spring 2023 … His Memory is a Blessing … Cleveland Baseball’s Iconic Fan

Drummer John J. Adams

About the First Song Below: John Adams always found favor … wherever and whenever he added his drum beat. Savor this musical homage to fans of this city’s baseball team … (previously called the Indians). Words written by Liz & Dennis Chandler. Music by composer-Dennis. DC arranged, produced and recorded this tune.

Click on the title to hear: Ride With The Tribe

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About the Second Song Below: Drummer John Adams’ good vibrations were always felt … whenever that fan of all things, Cleveland … came ’round. So Bandleader Chandler oftentimes would egg him onstage … to sit in with his Stratophonics. That worked to the advantage of WHK Radio’s Houseband (DC & Strats) … when they were gathering signatures for the First Petition Drive and Campaign … to … “Bring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to Cleveland” … (as the slogan on the banner reads).

And gather they did! Local television news anchor Denise Dufala … announced “Dennis and his band were responsible for collecting over 200,000 of the 660,000 petition signatures” (total collected in 30 days). Confirmation came from her news producer Bob Lewis. In an on-air audible “aside” … he exclaimed … “I ought to know … I had to count them all”. The song was also played for the later USA Today Phone Poll. So it is not a stretch to say “DC & Strats” had a little help from some friends. Drummer John Adams.

Words and music written by Dennis Chandler. Instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC. Vocals by DC and drummer Ernie Nachtigal.

Click on this link to hear: Dennis Chandler Intro

Click on the title to hear: Can You Feel It (That Rock ‘n’ Roll)

About … “Ride With The Tribe” … A back-in-the-day homage to our baseball team. Then called The Cleveland Indians … they are now known as The Guardians. Music by Dennis Chandler. Lyrics by Liz & Dennis Chandler. Vocals and instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC. Click on the title to hear the song.

Ride With The Tribe

About … “Go Browns” … A homage to Cleveland’s football team. Music by Dennis Chandler. Lyrics by Phil Smoluk. Vocals & instrumentation … arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC. Click on the title to hear the song.

Go Browns

About … “Woolly, Me and You” … Written for Dick Goddard and his Woollybear Festival. The title is “Woolly, Me and You” aka “The Woollybear Song”. This lullaby was the 1st Woollybear song. Music by Dennis Chandler. Lyrics by Phil Smoluk. Vocals by Dale Solly, of Blessed memory … with a chorus of Woollybear Watchers. Instrumentation… arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC. Click on the title to hear the song.

Woolly, Me and You

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ABOUT … Bill “Smoochie” Gordon’s Theme: Written for the media pioneer to use for his radio and television talk shows. Plus at his personal appearances … Musical Director Dennis often played along, so to speak. Bill’s memory is a Blessing.

DC Full Orchestration

DC Piano Only

About … “Oh, How We Love Those Pierogi” … Written for Joel Rose and his friends. Music was written by Dennis Chandler with Lyrics by Phil Smoluk. The vocals are by then-popular media-types … who are listed on the 45 record jacket. (Remember those?) I’ve included the back of the record jacket … with the words. In case you want to do a Karaoke session. Check out JR’s recipe. You can bake as you sing along. Vocals and instrumentation… arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC. Click on the title to hear the song.

Oh, How We Love Those Pierogi

Click on the title to hear: Plymouth Rock

BACK STORY about … the song … “Plymouth Rock”

It was on the A side of a 45 record that this band had way back. The 1964 song was done by DC and a group of his hometown friends. The formed a band and called themselves, “The Pilgrims”. Perhaps the name was fortuitous … for they seemed aptly named. Playing around … in the Detroit / Windsor area … in those places and in those times … in Detroit’s musical history? It was, “Priceless”, Dennis said. Why? They became the houseband for the legendary powerhouse Radio Station “CKLW”.

In support of the station’s musical format … they entertained at their many various live events and promotions … all around the area. As … Pianist-Dennis … he also became arranger and accompanist for even more diverse audiences. House parties of fond memory … included the ones at the residences of Rev. Cecil Franklin (Aretha’s father) … and … Hank Ballard of “Hank Ballard & The Midnighters”, to name just two. (Talk ‘bout “Stand and deliver!”)

The lyrics were written by Dennis Chandler and bassist Pete Dragas. The music was written by Bandleader Chandler. The other band members on the record … were drummer Ron Harkai, guitarist Glenn Schwartz and Dennis (who doubled on keyboards and guitar). Instrumentation arranged by DC … who also sang the song.

Click on the title to hear: Plymouth Rock

On the B side of this 45 record of the Pilgrims is a song … originally written and recorded by the iconic Bluesman … John Lee Hooker.

This “cover” of Hooker’s song … was done by Dennis and band. One can hear on lead vocals … Glenn Schwartz … with some shout-singing background by the rest of the band.

Click on the title to hear the song … Maudy

PARTIAL LIST BELOW … is for a few past musical projects.

I will be adding more music … as I acquire knowledge of how to do so. All the projects were written, arranged, produced and recorded by musician-composer DC …( with some help from assistant-producer me).

Jingles … are listed in no particular order …

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE JINGLE Version 1

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE II

TV 8’s “Winners” Promotion … “We’re TV8, Home of The Winners”.

TV 5’s Morning Exchange … “Start Your Day With Us”.

Bass Chevrolet … “Home of Bass Chevrolet”.

Rinaldi Jewelry … “Where Little Things Mean a Lot”.

WERE’s Joey Jay Radio Show … “Jazz for Joey Jay” (Instrumental).

After Five Magazine … “There’s a New Way of Looking at Cleveland After Five”.

Midpark Chrysler Plymouth … “You Are Someone Special”.

Morrell Music … “If You Want More Than Just A Music Store”.

Audio Outlet … “There Is Only One”.

Kitchen Queen … “Kitchen Queen, Your Dream Kitchen Store”.

Bobby Gee Stores … “You and Me and Bobby Gee”.

Randall Park Mall … “The Best of Them All”.

Cleveland Copy and Printing … “When You Need More Than One”.

More Specialty Songs (list is in no particular order)

NBC TV3 Weatherman’s theme … “Waylon Boot’s Bodacious Blues”.

Politico Bob Hughes Tribute Song … “Hats Off To Hughes”.

Eastside Irish American Club Theme for Grand Opening … “And Yet We’ve Just Begun”.

Kidney Foundation Chili Cook-Off Winner Rafe Goldbach’s song … “Ode To Rotten Rafe’s Chili”.

M.D.A. Poster Child, Damian Claudio’s Poem (laid to video) ….”Hoping For A Miracle”.

First Rock Hall Song (all media, USA Today Phone Poll, Petition Drives) … “Can You Feel It -That Rock ‘n’ Roll”. (a cover re-recorded by “The Secrets” was mentioned earlier).

Chamber of Commerce/Growth Association Farewell Songs: Pres. Bill Bryant & Ex.VP K. Michael Benz …”Blues for Benz”.

TV8’s Dick Goddard & Dale Solly … The Woollybear Song aka “Woolly, Me and You”. (mentioned earlier).

Media Types … Joel Rose, Jan Jones, Dale Solly, The Ghoul, Tana Carli … Joel Rose’s Polka aka “Oh, How We Love Those Pierogi”. (mentioned earlier).

TV5’s Morning Exchange 10th Anniversary Song … “Start Your Day With Us”.

Morning Exchange: Farewell Song for show’s host Jan Jones (laid to video) … “Smilin’ -That’s Her Way”. (mentioned earlier).

Morning Exchange: Farewell Song for show’s host Joel Rose (laid to video) …. “Joel’s A Rose”.

Song in tribute to television personality Fred Griffith … “Always Fred”.

Cleveland Indians Song … “Ride With The Tribe”. (mentioned earlier).

The First Cleveland Browns Song (laid to video by Gib Shanley for WEWS) … “Go Browns”. (mentioned earlier).

Themes for Local Television Shows

NBC TV3 Dale Solly’s Half-Hour Special on Lake Erie titled “Dark Water, Deep Secrets” … Complete Score … (Instrumental)

TB added

CEDAR RAG

CH 19 Dale Solly’s “Cleveland Homes Magazine” Show … Theme … (Instrumental)

Bill “Smoochie” Gordon’s TV Show …”Stay Smoochie You Rascal, You” …. (Instrumental)

Betsy Saltzburg’s TV Show “Positively Speaking” … Theme … (Instrumental)

Stage Music

Music written for A Tribute to Icabod Flewellen, Founder of African-American Museum … and performed by former Wings Over Jordon Baritone, Web Fleming.

Words & Music for “Maltshop Memories” (a rock ‘n’ roll roadshow that toured locally, played community theatres i.e., Gates Mills Straw Hat Theatre, etc. )

Music written for Playwright Deborah Osment Ryan’s “Ruling Passion – A Musical Comedy About Richard III”. (mentioned earlier).

Music written for Playwright Larry Brenner’s “Just We Two” – a musical comedy about a man in a coma. (mentioned earlier).

Liz Chandler, Web Writer aka Mrs. Dennis aka Archivist 2024

Dennis Chandler aka Piano Man / Guitar Man… Cleveland's Musical Chameleon

A 1) Repository of Demos & Drafts ORIGINAL MISC. SONGS written by DC (w/ others)

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