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Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Gary Puckett sings on at 82: ‘In 1968, we sold more singles than the Beatles'
SAN DIEGO - Scoring in academia or on the Top 40? Striving for pop stardom or learning psychoanalytic therapy? The Union Gap or the synaptic gap? When Gary Puckett moved to San Diego in 1960 - seven years before he and his band scored their first hit single with "Woman Woman" - it was to enroll at City College, not to pursue music. Fate had other things in store for him. "I was into psychology and thought about maybe getting a medical degree," recalled Puckett, who spent two years at City College but couldn't afford the tuition to attend SDSU or UC San Diego. "I was tired of school and truly more interested in music, so I started playing in small bands." And not so small bands. The Ravens, his first San Diego group of note, was an 11-piece ensemble with a brass section and backing singers. In 1964 Puckett became the lead singer in the Outcasts, a four-man band that performed frequently at the Quad Room in Clairemont. They released two singles, "Runaway" and "I Can't Get Through To You," which gained local radio airplay. His next band, Gary and the Remarkables, soon morphed into Gary Puckett & The Union Gap. With his soaring - at times almost operatic vocals - at the fore, the vintage military uniform-clad group scored a slew of hit singles between 1967 and 1969, including "Woman, Woman," "Young Girl," "Lady Willpower," "Over You" and "This Girl Is A Woman Now." "In 1968, we sold more singles - not albums - than the Beatles. We sold more singles than anyone, so that's a little badge of honor," said Puckett, now 82, speaking from his Florida home in the coastal city of Clearwater. Those hit singles will be featured when Puckett performs as part of the 2025 Happy Together Tour. The lineup also features Little Anthony and the current iterations of the Turtles, the Cowsills, Jay and the Americans, and the Vogues. While his appearance is billed as Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, he acknowledged that he will be accompanied by the same four-man house band that backs all the Happy Together Tour acts. A Minnesota native, Puckett shares the same hometown as Bob Dylan, whose song, "The Mighty Quinn," was covered with brassy verve on The Union Gap's second album. The title of another Dylan song, "Changing of the Guards," best conveys what happened to Puckett and the members of the Union Gap, which disbanded in 1971, two years after the singer signed a solo recording deal with Columbia Records. 'Some slim times' His 1971 release, "The Gary Puckett Album," fared so poorly it didn't even make it onto the bottom of the national Billboard Top 200. After selling millions of records, touring the nation and appearing multiple times on some of the most-watched TV shows of the time with The Union Gap, Puckett's career in music evaporated almost overnight. "People were moving on and people in my generation were having families," Puckett said. "The new generation was paying attention to David Bowie and T. Rex. Radio wouldn't play our music. I found myself going through some slim times. "I studied acting and made a film in the Philippines, 'Dynamite,' that didn't succeed. You will never find it. It was about a band that was successful because of the death of one of its members …." After he completed filming, Puckett returned for a few years to Los Angeles where he had moved in the late 1960s. He came back to San Diego in 1978 and began playing in a duo with guitarist Paul Martin at the Anchorage Fish Company in La Jolla. Their repertoire consisted of Union Gap favorites, classics by the Beatles and Buddy Holly, and then-current hits by such acts as Little River Band and Exile. In 1980, Puckett began working with SRO, a San Diego lounge band, and asked Kicks magazine publisher Tom Arnold to manage him despite the fact Arnold had never managed any music acts. In early 1981, Puckett launched a new band with the goal of fueling a comeback and obtaining a recording contract. After doing some warm-up gigs in Las Vegas, the group did a homecoming show at the Bacchanal in Kearny Mesa. The performance received such a tepid review in the San Diego Union that, after reading it, Puckett fired the band, fired his fledgling manager and shelved his comeback attempt. "We did play at the Bacchanal, which I think was a mistake," Puckett said. "All these years later, Tom and I are still friends." Puckett maintained a low profile until 1984, when the Turtles launched their first Happy Together Tour and invited Puckett and a reconstituted Union Gap to be one of the acts in the multi-band lineup. His star rose significantly higher in 1986 when he and The Union Gap joined the Grass Roots and Herman's Hermits on the Monkees' 20th anniversary reunion concert trek. That tour included a show at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, making Puckett the only artist in memory to go from playing at the Anchorage Fish House to the home of the San Diego Padres baseball team. "It was a spectacular tour, the biggest of the year," he said. "And it was our good luck that radio stations began playing the music of our generation again. The Monkees certainly put us back on the map." In a Union-Tribune interview previewing the San Diego tour stop of the 2012 Happy Together Tour, the then-69-year-old Puckett referred to himself as "an old man." Had anyone told him then that he'd still be touring 13 years later, how would he have reacted? "I would not have believed it!" Puckett replied. "I would have said: 'You've got to be kidding.' This year I'm doing 59 or 60 Happy Together Tour shows and about 40 more on my own. "There are times when I honestly want to say: 'OK, I am done touring. I want to spend time with my family and swim with my grandkids.' There are other times when I am so inspired being on stage and inspired by the enthusiasm of the audience shaking my hand and thanking me. So, I have no idea how long I'll keep doing this. I'll let go of the reins when the time comes." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man arrested on suspicion of SDSU burglaries
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A 36-year-old man suspected of burglaries at San Diego State University was arrested Friday. Troy Speaks, who is not a student or affiliated with SDSU, was identified as the suspect, according to the San Diego State University Police Department (UPD). He was arrested on suspicion of commercial burglary and is known to UPD as a repeat offender. 'Speaks was previously arrested by UPD for burglary approximately six months ago and had just been released from custody two days prior to these reported burglaries,' SDSU said in the news release. On Thursday at around 1 p.m., UPD received reports of two separate classroom burglaries after faculty members reported stolen laptop computers from classrooms in the Professional Studies and Fine Arts building and the Storm Hall building. Nationwide 'No Kings' protests set for this weekend, including across San Diego In one of the incidents, a faculty member saw a suspected burglar leaving the area carrying two laptop computers. Then around 2 a.m., a UPD officer found the suspect on SDSU campus property attempting to gain access to a secured building during hours when the campus was closed to the general public, per UPD. Speaks was booked into San Diego County Jail. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the SDSU Police Department at 619-594-1991 and reference case numbers 25-775 and 25-776. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Young, Larson participate at NCAA outdoor championships
EUGENE, ORE. (KELO) — The NCAA outdoor track & field national championships take place over four days in Eugene, Ore., and two athletes who compete in South Dakota participated on day one. In the men's pole vault final, USD's Tre Young cleared 17 feet, 5.75 inches, which placed him tied for 18th in the competition. Aleksandr Solovev from Texas A&M won it by clearing 18 feet, 11.5 inches. SDSU's Cody Larson ran in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase semifinals, but he failed to finish the race. The national championships continue on Thursday as three USD women's competitors participate in the 400 meter run and pole vault. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alex Post: Aspiring, inspirational swimmer
BROOKINGS, SD (KELO) — There are no lazy summer afternoons lounging by the pool for a Brookings man. Instead, Alex Post is jumping into the water as part of his training to become a world-class swimmer. Oldham-Ramona-Rutland School Board facing a lawsuit His rigorous workouts are an inspiration to others who may be facing challenges of their own. Post swims dozens of laps in the pool at the Miller Wellness Center at SDSU. 'Very exhausting. Especially if I do about half of them are backstrokes, the rest is more of the butterflies and that's a lot harder for me,' Post said. Post is constantly trying to improve his time. 'I could swim in a 25-meter, I think my best time is 45-seconds, which is really good for a guy like me,' Post said. Post, 24, has been swimming for much of his life. But just a couple months ago, he discovered he could swim without a life jacket. And that would plunge him into uncharted waters. 'At first, I was afraid to swim. I thought I was going to drown. And so, I finally had to get past that fear and just do it,' Post said. You see, he swims without any legs. 'I was born with the rare genetic disease called arthrogryposis which affects muscle and bone,' Post said. A dozen years ago, Post decided to have his legs surgically removed. 'A lot of my joints are frozen into place. They can't move and so I knew I was never going to be able to walk with my legs so I told my parents I wanted to remove my legs,' Post said. Now he aspires to compete in the Paralympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028. But first, he'll have to compete in preliminary events at the regional and national level. Whenever Post is in the water, he's overflowing with confidence. 'He's driven, super-outgoing, confident and then the biggest thing is he's reliable. Every day he wants to get better,' Post's coach and caregiver Scott Ault said. South Dakota's fall pheasant outlook is 'very positive' 'I push myself and it gets tough sometimes because the muscles hurt. Everything's going to hurt and I know that I'm going to get there,' Post said. Post is staying in his lane in pursuing his paralympic dream. But he's looking beyond his own ambitions to bring hope to others. 'I'm not just trying to inspire people with disabilities. But people that think they're not good enough in life, that want to give up and I just want to show people there's no point in giving up, there's something that you can do,' Post said. Leaving a legacy of determination and drive in his wake. 'One of the things my mother always said was: you shoot for the moon and if you don't get there, you'll still fall amongst the stars. And that's Alex in a nutshell,' Ault said. Post is a client of Right at Home In-Home Care & Assistance. The Sioux Falls-based company is sponsoring his Paralympics quest. He is looking for additional help. If you'd like to be a sponsor, we have a link to his Facebook page. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Expert unveils surprising new method that could transform the dairy industry: 'The [bubbles] improve the quality of the wastewater'
A dairy scientist at South Dakota State University is proving that big sustainability wins can come from very tiny bubbles. Maneesha Mohan, an associate professor and the Alfred Chair in Dairy Manufacturing at SDSU, is pioneering the use of nanobubble technology in dairy wastewater treatment. This is an innovation that could offer a cleaner, cheaper, and chemical-free approach to an industry-wide challenge. Dairy wastewater is notoriously hard to manage. It contains a mix of organic compounds, nutrients, and pathogens that must be removed before the water can be safely discharged. To tackle this, many large-scale dairies operate their own treatment facilities, but these systems often require energy-intensive processes or costly chemicals. This is where nanobubbles come in: ultra-small, gas-filled bubbles that are 2,500 times smaller than a grain of salt. These bubbles are stable in liquids for months, enabling them to react with and break down pollutants more effectively than traditional treatment methods. Mohan first encountered nanobubble tech while in New Zealand, where it was used to extend the shelf life of fish. Once at SDSU, she and her master's student, FNU Akshit, began exploring its potential for dairy systems. "The nanobubbles improve the quality of the wastewater that is discharged," Mohan explained. After promising lab results, including a 134% increase in dissolved oxygen and double-digit reductions in suspended solids and oxygen demand, the team partnered with Valley Queen Cheese in Milbank, South Dakota, to test the technology in the real world. The results were excellent, outlining a more efficient treatment system that eliminates the need for added chemicals altogether. Mohan is now working with SDSU engineering faculty to design custom nanobubble generators tailored to the dairy industry. "In our lab, the whole idea is to look at sustainability and a holistic approach," she said. Globally, more than four billion people lack consistent access to safe water. Technologies that improve wastewater treatment, especially those that make it cheaper and more sustainable, are essential for public health and resource security. This innovation marks a small shift with big potential. And in Mohan's lab, the bubbles are just getting started. How often do you worry about the quality of your drinking water? Never Sometimes Often Always Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
