Get Happy With the Sounds of the ‘60s

Aug. 12, 2016

Boomers and retro music fans, rejoice!

The Happy Together Tour is arriving at Little River Casino Resort in August, and with it an impressive list of ’60s hits all polished up and ready for singing along. It’s no wonder this has become one of the most popular vintage package tours in North America; the musicians included boast more than sixty Top 40 hits between them. Check out who’s on this year’s lineup and what you might hear in their retro setlists:

THE TURTLES

What kind of potion have singers Flo and Eddie been drinking to keep their vocals so strong? They sound pretty much the same as their records, although they’ve developed something of a “wacky uncle” schtick that finds them adding bits of Doors songs, jokes, and, uh … “Gangham Style” to their set.

Tunes You’ll Know: “Happy Together” (hence the tour’s title), “Elenore,” “You Baby,” Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe”

THE COWSILLS

This group of singing brothers, one sister, and their mother was actually the inspiration for the fictional TV show The Partridge Family, and their shows today, while missing several original members, still do their best to replicate the group’s thickly layered, impressive harmonies.

Tunes You’ll Know: “The Sunshine of Your Love,” “I Really Want to Know You,” “Indian Lake,” “Most of All”

THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP

There’s no Steve Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group any more — Winwood went on to a solo career and also has recorded music with his daughter — but the reconfigured group has proved popular both in the U.S. and overseas, with a slight jazz feel added from Davis’ side recordings.

Tunes You’ll Know: “Keep on Running,” “I’m a Man,” “Somebody Help Me,” “Gimme Some Lovin’”

MARK LINDSAY (PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS)

Still in great, if mellowed, voice, Lindsay offers up both Raiders tracks and some of his own solo singles during his performance. What you might not know about him is that he was also a teen idol during the ’60s, having been selected by Dick Clark to perform on an afternoon teen music show.

Tunes You’ll Know: “Arizona,” “Kicks,” “Just Like Me,” “Him or Me”

GARY PUCKETT AND THE UNION GAP

Also solid on stage is Puckett, who’s added more drama and vibrato to his voice as he’s progressed from full band to solo career and back. He’s also got plenty of experience with reunion and package tours, having been part of one with The Monkees, The Grass Roots, and Herman’s Hermits.

Tunes You’ll Know: “Don’t Give in to Him,” “Over You,” “Woman Woman,” “Lady Willpower”

CHUCK NEGRON (THREE DOG NIGHT)

While there were technically three lead vocalists in Three Dog Night, Negron’s the only one still touring, so he’s carefully structured the songs with his backing band to fill in the vocals that would otherwise be missed on a long setlist that’s half hits and half lesser-known album cuts.

Tunes You’ll Know: “Joy to the World (the Bullfrog song),” “Shambala,” “One,” “Old Fashioned Love Song”