I'll never forget him (the leader of the pack): RIP Shadow Morton

Rest in peace, mad genius.

In later years, Mr. Morton, who underwent treatment for alcoholism in the mid-1980s and remained sober to the end of his life, had a second career as a designer of golf clubs.

Had not known that George Goldner gave him the nickname "Shadow" because he was never to found. RIP.

RIP Shadow :(

Love this Morton-produced cover:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZM7F7e28QM

Yup. That's a good one.

Think a certain ilxor was quoted in one of the obits. Oh yes, here: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-shadow-morton-60s-pop-wizard-dead-at-71-20130216,0,5123315.story

Lame that they don't acknowledge the other person in that photo is Janis Ian - he produced "Society's Child" and her first few albums.

At least there's a passing ref to her in the credits - listened to those not too long ago and the subject matter gets impressively heavy for a '60s teenager

Yeah, I thought the picture was cool but didn't know why they didn't identify her either.

ian and vanilla fudge are nowhere near the best groups of the late '60s, but I've got serious respect for a dude who spent the late '60s producing janis ian and vanilla fudge

This album is a fucking trip and a half

The Beat Goes On (Atco Records 33-237/mono, SD 33-237/stereo) is the second album by the American psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge, released in early 1968. The album doesn't contain any real "songs", but rather a sound collage featuring many different things to make it interesting: the voices of world leaders past and present, the band reciting pre-written mantras and reflections, and excerpts of songs (done "Vanilla Fudge style") by The Beatles and Sonny Bono.

The group was at odds with their producer George "Shadow" Morton during this album's recording sessions, as Morton made his own concept album without significant input from the band. In the liner notes to the Sundazed Records 1990's CD reissue of the album, the band denounces it as a failed experiment on their producer's part. Vanilla Fudge's third album Renaissance, which was released quickly after The Beat Goes On, would be Morton's last collaboration with the band.

While not as successful as their debut album, The Beat Goes On was a moderate hit despite the band's reservations, peaking at #17 on the Billboard album charts in March 1968.

Side one

"Sketch" (Appice/Bogert/Martell/Stein) - 2:55
Phase One
"Intro: The Beat Goes On" (Sonny Bono) - 1:57
Eighteenth Century: Variations on a Theme by Mozart: "Divertimento No. 13 In F Major" (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) - 0:46
Nineteenth Century: "Old Black Joe" (Stephen Foster) - 0:46
Twentieth Century - 3:09
"Don't Fence Me In" (Cole Porter) - 0:52
"12th Street Rag" (Euday L. Bowman) - 0:49
"In The Mood" (Garland-Razaf) - 0:45
"Hound Dog" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 0:43
The Beatles - 1:45
"I Want To Hold Your Hand" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
"I Feel Fine" (Lennon–McCartney)
"Day Tripper" (Lennon–McCartney)
"She Loves You" (Lennon–McCartney)
"Hello Goodbye" (Lennon–McCartney)
Phase Two
"The Beat Goes On" - 1:32
Beethoven: "Fur Elise" & "Moonlight Sonata" (Ludwig von Beethoven) - 6:33
"The Beat Goes On" - 1:05

Side two
"The Beat Goes On" - 1:00
Phase Three
"Voices in Time": Neville Chamberlain, Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Other Voices - 8:09
Phase Four
"The Beat Goes On" - 1:50
"Merchant/The Game Is Over" - 8:57
"Merchant" (Appice/Bogert/Martell/Stein)
"The Game Is Over" (Bourtayre/Bouchety): Vinnie
"Merchant"
"The Game Is Over": Tim
"Merchant"
"The Game Is Over": Carmine
"Merchant"
"The Game Is Over": Mark
"Merchant"
"The Beat Goes On" - 2:20