Staying Fit
1965 may have been a year when then-young baby boomers were at war with authority figures over the Vietnam War, but a bold piece of TV programming — funded by the federal government, no less — attempted to bring the nation together around 90 minutes of incredible music that is getting a thrilling replay on PBS on March 6, nearly 56 years later.
Watch it: It's What's Happening, Baby!, airing March 6 on PBS (check local listings for times).
It's What's Happening, Baby!
With a title that could only be created by a bureaucrat's view of youthspeak, It's What's Happening, Baby! was a soulful, rocking, all-star musical review commissioned by Sargent Shriver as part of President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty initiatives. The goal was to encourage young people to value education and seek summer employment. To deliver the message, Shriver hired celebrity DJ Murray the K (Murray Kaufman) as host. Kaufman, renowned for spinning discs by Black artists ignored by mainstream stations, lobbied to add hot Motown acts to the show's marquee.
AARP Membership— $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.
Kaufman succeeded, spawning a lineup that was wildly diverse — from the Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Johnny Rivers to Ray Charles, the Four Tops and the Righteous Brothers.
CBS donated airtime and production costs, and artists were paid union scale. Some performances were filmed live on June 16, 1965, at Brooklyn's Fox Theatre, while others were recorded in Manhattan, Detroit and Los Angeles.
More on entertainment
Judy Collins Revives Her Historic 1964 Concert
Singer-songwriter has prevailed over remarkable hardship and shares her reflectionsCelebrating Carole King's 'Tapestry' 50 Years Later
How a talented pop songwriter took on the rock world and became a legend
The 10 Best Grammy Performances of All Time
From Stevie Wonder to Prince and Beyoncé, these stars ruled the high-profile stage