Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein -R.I.P. (Sept 25, 1932 to May 8/9, 1999) wrote the lyrics and music for most of the early Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show. Shel wrote Cover of the Rolling Stone, Freakin at the Freakers' Ball, Sylvia's Mother, and the cautionary song about venereal disease, Don't Give a Dose To the One You Love Most.
In 1970 Silverstein asked long time friend Ron Haffkine to produce the soundtrack for Herb Gardner's upcoming movie Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?, with rising actor Dustin Hoffman portrayed as a successful songwriter suffering from a nervous breakdown.
In 1970 Silverstein asked long time friend Ron Haffkine to produce the soundtrack for Herb Gardner's upcoming movie Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?, with rising actor Dustin Hoffman portrayed as a successful songwriter suffering from a nervous breakdown.
Songs for the film included Dennis Locorriere singing lead on Last Morning (theme song for the movie) , which they would later record for their second album, Sloppy Seconds. The film launched in '71 took a nose dive but producer and now manager Ron Haffkine used the momentum from the movie's media hype to get and appointment with record executive Clive Davis. Davis never allowed groups to demo in his office but Haffkine persuaded him to let his boys in.
The band's new drummer John "Jay" David used an upside down wastepaper basket as a drum while singers Ray Sawyer and Dennis Locorriere along with George Cummings played guitar and sang their songs while Billy Francis hopped up on Clive Davis' desk to dance is butt of.
The meeting got the band their first record deal and they went on to international stardom over 12 years with Haffkine behind them. As with so many acts before them , Dr. Hook and the Medecine Show would spiral down to nothing once they fired their manager.
