Wednesday, November 24, 2010


You may not recognize his face but I'll bet you know his work. When I researched Mr. Fox I found out that he wrote the themes for Laverne and Shirley, Happy Days and The Love Boat just to name a few.
And wait....that brings to mind a question I have had for years. What in the world was that saying that Laverne and Shirley said at the beginning of the theme. Listen to the YouTube video here if you've forgotten. I asked Charles that very question and he said it was a childhood saying that he and friends used to chant around the playgrounds! (Listen to the podcast for more details.)
You name em....he has worked with them. Everyone from Roberta Flack (for whom he wrote "Killing Me Softly") to Barry Manilow ("Ready To Take A Chance Again").



His book is a must-read. "Killing Me Softly" is basically a life-story and a career account of someone who has lived the dream of most composers. I love to hear how people got their start. It never ceases to amaze me how humble beginnings develop into such great careers. Charles is no exception. From the Bronx he rose to greatness through playing in many latin bands and working with the likes of Tito Puente. But his success with ABC really launched him into stardom. His creation of the famous ABC Wide World of Sports theme and the original Monday Night Football theme paved the way for the rest of his "must read" career.
Please take a listen to our time together on "Wait, I Know This!" and check out his book. You can see it on Amazon.com HERE.