Ron Onesti: The 'real' stars … behind the music

It is no secret the era of music from 1959-1978 (which technically encompasses two eras of music) was probably the most powerful time in American popular music. Hundreds of the hits from that time are still played every day, all over the world. This period produced much of the most-loved music in American history.

Of course, this was the era when the vinyl record was at the height of its popularity. Live performances increasingly became a bigger part of the music business equation, but records and radio was the one-two punch that catapulted singers into celebrities.

And as we listen to them even today, those recordings were magnificent, musically speaking. "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "California Dreamin' " by the Mamas and the Papas, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin' '' by Nancy Sinatra, "I Got You Babe" by Sonny and Cher, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel, "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand … hundreds of beloved songs with a distinctive, perfectly arranged and performed sound. All can be named within the first few notes on television's "Name That Tune."

But as all these records became megahits, and the vocalists became megastars, the musicians who masterfully recorded these soon-to-be legendary album cuts remained in nameless, faceless oblivion.

I am referring to those who were referred to as "sidemen." The session musicians who worked on a regular basis at recording studios or exclusively with music producers. These were the men and women who were given the sheet music to a song, rehearsed it, and on many occasions, added a line, a hook, a melodic twist or a change in tempo that gave the song its unique sound. Then, they would work with the vocalist or entire bands to create music history.

As important as this part of the recording process was, rarely were these groups of musicians credited or acknowledged in any way. Even industry "insiders" didn't realize who was actually making the music. Dick Clark is even quoted as saying, "I didn't know people weren't making their own music until the Monkees came along."

There have been several legendary groups that have only relatively recently been credited, maybe within the last 20 or so years. Three in particular are the Wrecking Crew out of Los Angeles, the Swampers (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) out of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and the Funk Brothers from Detroit's Motown Records.

I was contacted by Denny Tedesco, the director of the widely successful documentary about the Wrecking Crew, and asked to host a screening of his film at my Arcada Theatre. I was absolutely thrilled! I have been a longtime fan of these unsung heroes of music.

Tedesco, the son of Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco, passionately and painstakingly amassed hundreds of hours of interviews with some of the biggest names in music history, all in an effort to document the group's historic significance. And what a documentary it is!

He told me the group was so popular that producers like Brian Wilson and Phil Spector would schedule their recordings around the availability of the Wrecking Crew.

Drummer Hal Blaine once said the "suits" of record companies saw the studio musician's blue jeans and T-shirts and proclaimed: "These guys are going to wreck the record business."

They wrecked it all right! They backed up Elvis and played on "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" by The Righteous Brothers and even "Strangers In The Night" for Frank Sinatra!

A couple of Hall of Fame inductions, seven Records of the Year and hundreds of iconic recordings later, and the Wrecking Crew remains one of the biggest groups in music history … that few people know about!

The Temptations, The Supremes, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye - just think about all those hits. And the Funk Brothers played on almost every one of them!

Sometimes seven days-a-week, the group would be in the small studios of Motown Records, working 15 hour days in what was affectionately known as the Snake Pit. They would pump out recordings the way pizza joints send out pies.

The Funk Brothers were also one of the most innovative groups in history. They would use tire irons, chains and even kitchen utensils to add to their unique sound. They became masters of overdubbing, often recording with two drummers. They were first to record with an upright acoustic bass, then dub an electric bass on top of it with uncanny precision.

Ironically, Motown Records' founder Barry Gordy Jr. disliked the term "funk," deeming it a "low-class" reference to their music. No love was lost when Gordy packed up his operation and unceremoniously moved to Los Angeles in 1972.

The group that replaced the Funk Brothers on many Motown recordings? The Wrecking Crew!

Now recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammy Awards and with a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, the Funk Brothers boast more No. 1 hits than Elvis, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Beach Boys … combined!

Southern rock legend band Lynyrd Skynyrd mentions Muscle Shoals in its celebrated anthem "Sweet Home Alabama." The story of this group of musicians is really quite interesting. They began as session musicians at Muscle Shoals' FAME Studios. But disgruntled with their deals, the four principal members took over a building down the street and opened up their own studio and publishing company.

Bob Dylan, Boz Scaggs, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, the Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart and many other international superstars made the trek to this town with a population of less than 7,000 (at the time) in Northwest Alabama, just to record with "that sound."

With so many of the acts that perform at our Arcada Theatre having recorded with one or more of these infamous studio groups, I try to ask about the experience as much as possible. Bill Medley remembers recording "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" with the Wrecking Crew "like it was yesterday. I can remember after recording with those guys looking at Bobby (Hatfield) and saying THIS will be a hit!" Medley said.

I asked Boz Scaggs about the experience, and he said: "The town itself is as much to do with the sound as the musicians themselves. We could have recorded in the local diner, it had such a cool vibe. Those guys have the music in their bones!"

Recently, Dennis Edwards, the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer who joined the Temptations as the group's lead singer in 1968, recalled the Funk brothers when he did his show at The Arcada. "I don't know how those boys did it, especially in those little rooms," he said. "It was a fine line between maintaining a Motown sound, then trying to give each artist their OWN sound. But those boys were music gold!"

There are several other groups that helped build the careers of legends around the country. New York City, Philadelphia and Nashville had them. Even the Four Seasons with Frankie Valli began as New Jersey studio backup singers. It is an underground community of unsung heroes that is responsible for music as we know it today.

If music is truly the lifeblood of our society, then the "session musicians" of the world make up the heart that has kept it alive. A toast to the non-famous superstars of the recording industry, and their legacy of music to be enjoyed by generations to come.

• Ron Onesti is president and CEO of The Onesti Entertainment Corp. and The Historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. Celebrity questions and comments? Email ron@oshows.com.