rockdoctor
Well-Known Member
Honestly, I never heard Rita or Lee on FM in this area. I first heard Lee from his single and Rita when I was at a friend's house(heard the debut album).The Hot 100 was not everything at A&M, or any other label, in those days. Lee and Rita got FM album play, sold in smaller numbers but profitably, since they had smaller production budgets. They were more in tune with the early 70s vibe (don't forget, you go out the A&M gate, turn right, make the next left and you're headed straight for the clubs on the Sunset Strip), and more of the promotion staff saw a future for them than for Karen and Richard until the money began to roll in.
Even then, though, there were people at A&M (and I know this from experience) who by mid-decade, despite the money, were wondering when K&R (and Captain and Tennille)'s run would be over so they could focus on artists like Frampton and Styx.
Too bad A&M let Captain and Tennille get away before the Make Your Move lp on Casablanca. That would have been a good shot in the arm for A&M although the follow up album on Casablanca failed so that would probably have been the end for them.
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