Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 80

80 Friday. April 22. 1983 Philadelphia Daily New NU-TEC: 25 By JOSEPH P. BLAKE Daty News Staff Writer Jjl (now the NU-TEC) that Butler, as well as Mayfield and the Impressions; polished their distinctive styles and groomed themselves for the big time. "Philly has always been a good towts for us." said Butler.

"One of our first professional performances was at the Uptown, and I feel good about coming back." Even though Butler. Mayfield and the Impressions only recorded one hit song together Your Precious back in 1SS8 the song is a classic, and has tied them together permanently. It was during that same year that Butler took off on his own. but he didn't have another hit until I960, when he recorded "He'll Break Your Heart." which was co-written by Mayfield. The Impressions fell on hard times after Butler's not-totaily-amicable departure, and the group was dormant for close to three years.

Ma) field, on the other hand, wound op playing guitar for Butler for about to years. But even then. Mayfield seemed to know there was something musically special about the Impressions, so he left Butler in 1961 and reactivated the group. He put Fred Cash in Butler's old spot, and went on to record a list of hits that included "Gypsy Woman." "People Cet Ready" and what may be one of the only prayers ever presented in RAB style, "Amen." Mayfield later admitted that most of those early songs were "church songs. The difference was.

I left out the word God." In 1970. after 12 years with the Impressions. Mayfield struck out on his own. saying he had gone as far as he could, musically, with the Impressions. He went on to record the soundtracks for such movies as "Sparkle." "Claudine" and the controversial "Superfly." Now in his late 30s.

Mayfield is graying and a bit heavier than in the early days, but he's si ill active writing songs and recording on the i ack in the late "60s, one of the Impressions' bluest hits was titled "keep on sons; was about reaching higher goals and having enough faith to overcome whatever difficulties one faces. Jerry Butler. Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions probably could use some advice from thai song. Their 25th anniversary reunion lour has fallen victim to such problems as snow, cancellations and promoters who just cant stem to get their acts together. The tour, which celebrates the formation cf the group in Chicago in 1958, is due here tomorrow for three shows at the I'ptown Theater and Entertainment Center (NU-TEC) at Broad and Susquehanna Despite previous difficulties.

John Bowser. NU-TECs president, says there is no doubt that the show will go en. "I've got over 50 percent of the theater sold out already, and people are still coming in fur tickets," said Bowser during a conversation in his office on the top floor of the theater. st definitely, they'll be here. I don't know anything about the problems they've been having, but the will be here on Saturday." Butler, in a phone interview from Chicago home, said the group hadn't performed as scheduled in Poitghkeepsi.

N.Y.. Wednesday r.i.;ht because of snow and because the promoters there "didnl have enough time to get the bolts in the roll, so we decided to cancel." The group also canceled in Syracuse. N.Y-. but no one connected with the group seemed to know exactly why. "We've had some problems." said BuiUr.

"but Tra sure they wont be affecting anything we have to do in Indved. Philadelphia may turn out to be one of the brightest spots of the tour, since it was at the old Uptown Paul Anka By JONATHAN TARIFF Daily News Music Writer By rights. Paul Anka should be the happiest man in the world. He's got a beautiful wife and five daughters (ages five to seventeen i and a Xanadu-like spread in the hills of Carmel. not to mention fame and fortune.

One of the precious few "SOs crooners to survive 25 years of upheaval in pop music. Anka's following is truly international in scope. He boasts millions of fans in Italy alone where he was recently honored with a four-hour network televison tribute and hundreds of thousands more in the Orient and in Iron Curtain countries like Hungary. Poland and Czechoslovakia. Underscoring the Eastern European following, his vintage hit "Yon Are My Destiny" serves as the recurring theme for a newly arrived Hungarian film set in the 1960s.

"Time Stands Still" As a composer. Anka holds title to Butter with the Impressions at the NU-TEC tomorrow and Sunday Curtis Mayfield (left) and Jerry Boardwalk label Butler has just finished recording a single with Parti Austin that will be released within the month, and is currently involved with several television projects in Chicago. If You Go Jerry Butler. Curtis Mayfield and I A- "4 Paul Anka: at Resorts Anka craves to score again as a contemporary artist, to earn a new hit record. (His last success as a singer was in 1974 with the controversial No.

1 single "She's Having My Baby." which won loud approval from anti- the Impressions at the NU-TEC Saturday at 7 m. and 10 Sunday at 8 p.m. Tickets (at the box office only) $15.50. $14. $1230 and S10.

Info: 235-5222 abortionists and aroused the ire of some feminist and "zero-population growth" groups.) To do it again. Anka has spent much of the last year in his Carmel recording studio, putting together the components of a major comeback album. Titled "Walk a Fine Line" and set for release next month on Columbia Records, the LP cast of supporting characters reads like a "who's who" of soft rock. Singing, songwrit-ing. and playing instruments with Anka are Mike McDonald, most of the guys from Toto, Chicago's lead singer Peter Cetera.

Kenny Loggins, Karla DeVito and producersongwriters David Foster and Jay Graydon. In the course of production, Anka says he sought out objective advice and direction "from well respected critics like Stephen Holden of Rolling Stone and the New York Times." On the basis of test pressings and early radio play for the first single. "Gimme the World," excited Columbia Records personnel are already predicting that Anka's got himself a platinum-plated, chart-topping See ANKA Page 86 some of the most popular music copyrights in history, including "My-Way." the "Tonight Show" theme. "She's a Lady." and all those gushy songs that "Tall-Paul" made famous as a teen fave in the late "50s and early '60s. like "Diana" and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder." At the time of Lady Pi's marriage K.

Prince Charles, "Diana" became a big hit again in Great Britain, with three cover versions on the charts, though Anka himself refused to exploit the situation with his own updated version. "I am not an oldies act," he says emphatically. "Nor do I want to benefit at someone else's expense." A savvy businessman, with investments in a private jet rental company, a las Vegas nightclub (Jubilations) and numerous other ventures. Anka's personal worth is estimated at S200 million. This year alone, he allows, hell be earning something on the order of $7 million.

And yet. despite it all, Anka remains a compulsive "workaholic." with a nagging urge to succeed anew every time he ventures into the spotlight When he performs in concert, as Aula does this weekend at the Superstar Theater of Resorts International in Atlantic City, the entertainer will do everything but unfurl the flag and give out green stamps to win approval. Besides singing dozens of songs, hell play the piano, tap dance with finesse, show home movies, and work the audience like a politician. -stopping to pose for pictures with fans or to press the flesh. In his zeal to please, he'll also crack jokes at his own expense.

(Introducing the much overdone "My Way." his English-language transformation of a French rock song. Anka is wont to announce that "singing it brings tears to my eyes because I'm sick of "I have to feel the audience is with me to get the most out of them." Anka related in a recent conversation. "A lot of performers are dumping on their audiences, really just going through the motions. I have a very human approach It's been that way since I was a kid of IS. just down from Canada with my first hit record.

Show business was a way for this shy. rejected little kid to become emotionally balanced, to feel good about myself-" More than anything, he admits..