Question of the Week: What’s the best music variety show ever on TV or cable?

Local Spins’ Question of the Week (Nov. 24, 2022)

What’s the best music variety show ever on TV or cable?

The winner in last week’s drawing of email subscribers who responded to our question of the week was reader Henry Erb. To be placed in a drawing for a Local Spins gift pack, sign up for email updates and the weekly newsletter here: https://localspins.com/subscribe-local-spins-mailing-list/

THE READER RESPONSES:

Mike Metchikoff – Austin City Limits, for the quality of the artists presented and the sheer amounts of years it has been on TV.

Jerry Kolb – My last season of State & Water was really special.

John Nowak – Soul Train. Hands down. I really enjoyed “The Sing Off” growing up. It put a cappella on the mainstream map well before Pitch Perfect and having Sara Bareilles and Ben Folds as judges was wholesome and educational for the groups participating. A big reason I joined a group in college.

Geoff Hansen – John Nowak: Sing Off was the BEST.

Matt Jarrells – All In One Place

John Sinkevics – To be completely honest, I’m not a huge fan of these current, reality-TV singing competition shows even though they’re wildly popular. Give me “Austin City Limits” any day — and I remember the days of “The Midnight Special” and “Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert.”

Andrew Ogrodzinski – You pretty much named them. “In Concert” was another. “Night Flight” had music and other stuff. Singing competitions are basically beauty pageants to promote attractive people who can sell clothing and cosmetics. Art and music are secondary on those mediums.

Michael Packer – Hands Down! No question about it! “Night Music” produced by the genius Hal Wilner and hosted by Jools Holland and David Sanborn. It ran for 2 years and was presented by Michelob. A typical night reads like this for a line-up: (Was Not Was), Leonard Cohen, Sonny Rollins, Ken Nordine and a vintage clip by Miles Davis. The show also featured a house band of Omar Hakim (drums), Marcus Miller (bass), Philippe Saisse (keys), David Sanborn (sax), Hiram Bullock (guitar), and Jools Holland (piano). The bands all got together and jammed at the end of the show, The whole series is on YouTube. Top that one!!!

Randy Scott Marsh – Michael Packer: I’m with you, that was a great show!

Robert J Lutz – Shindig and Hullabaloo

Kevin Murphy – I was a huge fan of the Barbara Mandrell Show when I was a kid. But the best musical variety show of all time, undisputed heavyweight champion is The Muppet Show.
Ernie Clark – Hee Haw. Full stop.

Stacy Noonan – Too hard to narrow it down….depends on the vibe I’m feeling. Lawrence Welk (unapologetically) Woodsongs, The Muppets, Live from Daryl’s House, etc

Jeff Martin – The late 1980s, Hal Willner produced Night Music, (originally Sunday Night), hosted by David Sanborn. Incredibly eclectic every week. Also, the early 1970s Johnny Cash TV Show. Also, that late 1990s program on PBS, Sessions at W. 54th, featured numerous great performances.

Kym Reinstadler – Soul Train

Brian Johnson – I was a big fan of the Dolly Parton Show when I was 4.

Daniel Francis – Old Grey Whistle Test is pretty amazing!!! Also, it was more of a BBC Radio production, so not a TV show… -but John Peel’s “Peel Sessions” for BBC Radio 1 are a treasure trove of amazing live performances produced incredibly well!

Matt Monroe – Don KIRSHNER’s “Rock Concert “ and “In Concert” I worked for him for two years and he introduced more bands on TV than anyone. Before MTV and VH1 there was Don KIRSHNER “The Man With The Golden Ear” RIP DK

A.P. Van Portfliet – The old gray whistle test.

John Olszewski – In the ‘70s in concert, it was simulcast on WLAV we had some rockin parties then

Nancy Ringelberg Honor – In addition to those named, Ed Sullivan Show and American Band Stand

DeAnna Owen Harvey – Grew up watching everything from Buck Owens and Dolly, Lawrence Welk with my Gran, Sonny and Cher, Donnie and Marie, Ed Sullivan and more

Mike Ensing = Don’t laugh – the Music on the 8 Summer replacement shows in 1970 was top rate – Ray’s stage presence – not so much, just listen.

Mike Dodge – For me, between 10 and 12yo, it was Friday night’s ABC In Concert (the California Jams were legendary) followed by the rock concert movies (where I first saw Monterey Pop). Saturday night was The Midnight Special (where I first really saw Bowie) followed by Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert. Those brought me from being a jazz fan to a rock n roller. Years later (as an adult, 2009ish maybe) BET had a kick ass show on at 5:30am one morning a week called BET Studio Jams. I was heavy into jazz at the time and they brought legendary players together for an impromptu session, figuring out the tunes they’d play, working through them, and then recording them. Absolutely brilliant players on every episode. This is a great example of one…Martino and Fleck in a session with the best of the best. Too bad it was on at 5:30am…but I would get up to watch it every week. Check this out, and then find the other episodes. One of the best…Let’s not forget Green Valley Jamboree or Hee Haw, there was some great playing on those shows!

Michael A McLaughlin – Green Valley Jamboree! Rem Walt and the Green Valley Boys. Dad made us watch it every Saturday evening, I could not even! Now I’d love to see one. They did a live, single mic show every week for like 40 years. If any of these shows still exist I’ve not found them

Henry Erb – You said it Sink. Austin City Limits for its longevity and variety. But anything with music is a gift.

Nate Moser – Definitely not arguing it was the best, but “Star Search” was entertaining. It was kind of the grandparent of all the modern talent shows.

John Means – Art Feins Poker party . ..LA cable access show ….look them up on you tube!

Honest John Kowalko – Lawrence Welk was great. Midnight Special was special, too.

Melodee Van Bogelen Horsford – I have to go with “American Bandstand” or “Midnight Special”

Stephen Aldrich – Have to roll with Later… With Jools Holland, for presentation and longevity. But locally, Green Valley Jamboree, on Channel 3 in the 60’s was the gateway to Country for many of us.

Barry Bazza Crawford – Bop Hop The GR music dance show on TV – I think it was hosted by Big Bud – Early 60’s?

David Marin – Rem Wall and his Green Valley Boys on ‘Green Valley Jamboree,’ channel 3 WKZO.
Robert Biggie G Gill – I only remember Donny & Marie, Hee Haw and vaguely remember Sonny & Cher. The rest were specials. I DISTINCTLY remember a Paul Lynde Halloween special that had KISS playing… I was sick as hell with the Chicken Pox and was bummed I had to miss trick-or-treating that year. Seeing KISS do Detroit Rock City brightened an otherwise crappy Halloween. I really dug Donny & Marie, but I was only like 8 or 9 then. Looking through YouTube, I’d have to say I really enjoy seeing concerts from Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert or Old Grey Whistle Test. So I’ll say one of those two

Mark Sturr – In Concert

David Zeemering – Why, Hee Haw of course!

Jon Miner – Lawrence Welk? Probably most popular. My parents never missed it.

Mike Schwenneker – Smothers Brothers

Matt Jarrells – Sessions at West 57th with host David Byrne was cool.

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