From TVparty reader Ray Mora comes an amazing find - an ultra-rare episode of Soul Alive starring WWRL radio DJ 'Golden Voice' Gerry Bledsoe. Soul Alive aired during 1978 in New York City for an hour on WPIX channel 11 Saturday mornings at 11:00am.
A staple of TV markets around the country in the 1960s, local dance shows were rare by the late-seventies; they fell out of favor at the end of the 1960s and we aren't likely to see a revival. (Then again, you never know. Similar in nature, nationally broadcast Dance Party USA was a hit in the 1980s.)
With the Disco craze in full swing and nationally syndicated Soul Train still hot on Saturdays, WPIX saw an opportunity to bring that stone cold format back to TV screens.
The main feature on Soul Alive was the heated competition between dancers representing some of the City's top discotheques or local high schools. The winning couple's names were delivered via the 'Mechanical Hand' - they could collect a bounty of prizes including a trip, new sound system or might end up with a package that included Bic disposable shavers. They were new then!
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I was on Soul Alive with my friends from Farmindale, HI on Long Island. The surprise guests were a new group called "The Village People". At the time none of us knew who they were or why they dressed so strangely. Of course we all loved Macho Man and YMCA. Little did we know... LOL
ReplyDeleteI was on Soul Alive from Bayside high school how do I get a copy of that clip My best friend Debbie was on that clip she has recently died and Ralph Mcdaniels is also on that clip My partner kevin Gilpin
ReplyDeleteThis story is so so cool. I don't remember this show unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteI was on Soul Alive with my Arts High school (Melba Moore), our alumni was performing
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