My last words? “Life is no way to treat an animal, not even a mouse.”
Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007)
Peter C. in the News
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books -- UCLA -- April 28, 2007
Release of 35th Anniversary Edition -- "Guitar Army" --John Sinclair/Michael Simmons
"Beyond Baroque" -- Venice, California
Denny Smithson--"Cover to Cover" with Peter C. on KPFA-FM--San Francisco
A highly-respected Bay Area Broadcast Voice for over 40 years, Denny began at KPFA in 1967, working in public affairs and news programming. He moved on to become the Monday morning host for about 12 years, followed by a year on Brainstorm. Since then he has found his niche doing author interviews on Cover to Cover.
Yosemite National Park
July 2007
Wall to Wall--Question Mark San Francisco Benefit
Annie's Host Chris Owen, Peter Cavanaugh and Owner Annie Whiteside-- Herself!
Peter C. and Michael Simmons -- King of All Writers
Artillery Magazine, Rolling Stone, High Times, Penthouse, LA Times, Focus on the Family
Rae's Lounge -- Los Angeles
January 17, 2007
Peter C,
I was just chatting with one of my old HS buds & he told me about your book. Messing around the internet, I found your website.
I grew up in Midland in the 60's (Midland HS, class of '70, go Chemics). Naturally, my radio was tuned to WTAC, and of course I attended as many of the local rock n roll shows as I could (Sherwood Forest, Mt Holly, Daniel's Den, Blue Light in Midland). The Jimi Hendrix show at the IMA was my first big-time rock n roll concert.
I'd like to say thanks for all you did & all you meant to so many of us way back when. It really was a magical time to be growing up. I now know how much hard work you must have put into it & how you must have had to put yourself on the line to keep the quality so uniformly high. You really provided cutting edge entertainment to an area that just as easily could have been a real forgotten backwater.
I guess it was in no small part being captivated by what I heard on WTAC and then going to the shows that you were promoting & advertising on the station that really got me hooked on music. I'm happy to say that 40-odd years later, I'm still making a living in the music biz & still having a blast doing it.
For what it's worth, I ran into Ted Nugent in September ( we played the Cal State Fair the night after he did & saw him at the hotel) & had a nice chat about the old days in Mich, and, just last month I went to see Bob Seger's show in Nashville. He still sounds GREAT, by the way.
I hope all's well with you & yours!!!!
Thanks so much!!!!
Jim Scholten
Sawyer Brown
Nashville
January 17, 2007
Peter C,
Loving the book! Takes me back to my miserable Midland, Michigan childhood where all I wanted to do was pack my bag and leave that one-horse-town starting when I was TWELVE!!! WTAC was the only thing happening and it was a a beacon of light to a rock loving kid (listen to the new Bob Seger song "Face the Promise" for an approximate 'biography'!).
Fortunatately I eventually crawled out with stops at Daniel's Den, MSU and various national "Ports of Call" before finally reaching the bright lights of the Big City. Had two great kids, wrote two Graphic Novels on my mis-spent youth and am having helluva good time in my 54th year! Thanks for giving me a good start with the best in Rock & Roll!
Best regards,
Rob "Rocco" Maisch
In Deepest Cleveland
Flint, Michigan -- 2006
A Record Crowd of 15,000 at the 30th Anniversary Bobby Crim Festival of Races
Peter C. & WHNN's Johnny Burke Introduce Robert Gillespie and The Legendary Mitch Ryder
WTLB Radio Reunion --- Utica, New York
Abraham Lincoln, Jerry Reed, Jim Kenyon, Joe Tierno, Janice Kenyon, Peter C. and Dan O'Neil
"Not surprisingly for someone who grew up in Flint, Kathleen Glynn describes her role in Michael Moore's projects with an automotive reference. Asked if she feels overshadowed by her husband's expansive presence, Glynn - a longtime producer of Moore's films and TV shows - is quick to answer that she doesn't expect a lot of attention.
As previously reported in The Journal, Glynn has bought the film rights to "Local DJ," the autobiography by legendary Flint radio personality (and concert promoter) Peter C. Cavanaugh. A script about Marlon Brando's early life also is in the hopper, she said this week.
Glynn said she was attracted to Cavanaugh's book about early Flint rock 'n' roll "exactly because it's a Flint story, and because I was a kid there, and I remember these things; they're larger than life to me. Basically, the film I want to make out of the book is almost like 'Almost Famous' meets 'Woodstock.' ... The bands in the entire southeastern Michigan scene were just phenomenal."
Kathleen Glynn and Local DJ -- Mott Community College -- Flint, Michigan
The Cavanaugh Drinking Horn
One of very few surviving objects known to have been the personal property of an Irish king, the Kavanagh Charter Horn is a ceremonial drinking horn of elephant ivory dating from the early 12th century, with brass mountings added in the 15th century. Owned by the MacMorrough Kavanagh Kings of Leinster for centuries, it remained in the possession of the Chiefs of the Borris line until its later donation to the National Museum of Ireland.
This website was originally created and developed by daughter, Susan, out in Oakhurst, California. You may visit Susan and her husband, Rich Seiling, at www.westcoastimaging.com
Michael Moore, on the far right side (haha) of our 1980 WWCK staff photo (below)
received fifteen minutes of thunderous applause following the World Premiere of "SiCKO" on Saturday, May 19th, 2007 at Cannes. "SiCKO" has now scored a box-office total of over thirty million dollars worldwide and is the 3rd highest grossing film documentary in history. Up the rebels!
B. C. Coleman (page 231) is living a life of splendid sanctuary in Buzzonia, Michigan, with turkeys and deer at sunset and a vintage '41 Willys in the barn. Buzzonia was chosen by the Fraternal Union of Casual Knights as venue for Mr. Goodbar's 70th Birthday Party in late October '06. As Aging Children know, "70" is the new "17." Bob Dell (page 35) runs the top-rated Morning Show in New Orleans on WWL, although eventually retiring to Oneida Lake in Upstate New York. Bob Seger (page 195) was back on the road with Coast-to-Coast sell-outs after 11 years of absence. Rock 'n Roll never forgets!" Alice Cooper (page 130) is still 18. MC5 (page 111) have their own excellent movie coming out on DVD. Iggy Stooge (page 156) is available now on DVD with one of the best live performances I ever witnessed, magnificently unleashed before a sold-out crowd at DTE Music Theater in August of 2003.
My friend, Finbarr Slattery, over in Killarney, Holy Ireland, land of mystical enchantment, honored me a while ago by including a brief sinful segment from "Local DJ" in his award winning newspaper column. George Clinton (page 202) has pleaded "no contest" to two misdemeanor drug paraphernalia charges in Tallahassee, Florida. He was sentenced to 200 hours of community service. George is 66, my elder by a year. John Sinclair (page 113) lives mostly in Amsterdam and is the focus of a new film, "20 to Life: The Life and Times of John Sinclair." John reports, "Man, I remember the dances at Sherwood Forest with the fondest possible feeling. Glad you're holding up, my brother. I'm 67 now myself." John has completed a new American book tour in conjunction with release of the long-awaited 35th Anniversary Edition of "Guitar Army" featuring an introduction by Michael Simmons. Peter Townshend of the WHO (page 83) refused to give Michael Moore permission to use "Won't Get Fooled Again" at the very end of "Fahrenheit 9/11", even though the group was first played in America on WTAC and George Bush actually said those exact words in an uncommon moment of linguistic challenge.
I'm pleased to find myself being quoted extensively in "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison" by Michael Streissguth, an Associate Professor of English at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, from which I graduated in '63. I was also happy to record an audio version of "Local DJ" for Wayne State University and WDET-FM, Detroit's National Public Radio station.
Eileen (page 40) and I celebrated 40 years of marriage in 2004 with a glorious party attended by all four daughters (Laurie, Colleen, Candace and Susan), their respective husbands (Paul, Lindsey, Jeff and Rich) and all nine grandkiddies (Katherine, William, Cooper, Josh, Owen, Elise, Riley, Allison and Vincent). Maximilian and Asher have joined us since. Vincent Cavanaugh Buehner is named after my Uncle Vince (page 24), who taught me Rock 'n Roll.
Vincent "Baby Boy" Buehner and his Boogie Blues Band - First Gig - Royal Oak, Michigan - August 2004
Vincent's Mother -- Candace "Coltrane" Cavanaugh - First Book - Flint, Michigan - August 1972
RECENT
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 Syracuse Post-Standard May 20, 2002 |
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 The Oakland Press - May 20, 2002 |
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 Grand Rapids Record - June 21, 2002 |
September 6, 2002 - Detroit Free Press
"Bookworming: Your Esteemed Airwave Scribbler spent a large portion of this now-waning summer paging through "Local DJ: A Rock 'n Roll History" by longtime Flint record spinner and Rock Promoter Peter C. Cavanaugh. (349 pages, Xlibris Press, paperback $19.54, hardback $29.69, eBook $8 at www.xlibris.com). Chronicling an era and jobs skills that likely wil never been repeated, it's recommended reading for all radiophiles!" - John Smyntek/Radio TV Editor
March 8, 2006 - Detroit Free Press
DJ's book could be a film
"Peter C. Cavanaugh, a big noise on the radio in Flint back in the rockin' late '60s and early '70s, wrote a book about his experiences called "Local DJ."
PCC says he has signed film option rights to Kathleen Glynn and her new production company, Blue Lake Entertainment. Familiar ring to it? She is married to filmmaker Michael Moore and has produced all of his efforts to date." - John Smyntek/Radio TV Editor