The Midnight Special - Season 4

1. Helen Reddy / Nitty Gritty Dirt Band / Phoebe Snow

Aired: 9/19/1975

Helen Reddy (host) - ""I'll Be Your Audience,"" ""Bad Bad Leroy Brown"" (an animated film of the Jim Croce recording) ""Time"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Billy Braver (comedy segment) --The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - ""Dream,"" ""Bayou Jubilee,"" The Battle of New Orleans"" & ""Mother of Love"" --Phoebe Snow - ""I Don't Want the Night to End"" & ""Poetry Man"" --Paul Williams - ""Cried Like a Baby"" & ""Old Souls"" --Midnight Special salute to David Bowie --Hit of the Week:

4. Host: Helen Reddy

Aired: 10/10/1976

Helen Reddy (host) - ""This Must Be Wrong"" & ""You're My Home"" --The Bee Gees - ""Nights on Broadway,"" ""Wind of Change"" and a medley of hits. --Billy Joel - ""Travelin' Prayer"" & ""Ballad of Billy the Kid"" --Mel Tillis - ""Rainy Day Woman"" & ""Mental Revenge"" --Ike and Tina Turner - ""Sexy Ida"" & ""Baby Get It On"" --Midnight Special salute to Joan Baez (narrated by Wolfman Jack)

6. Helen Reddy / J. Geils Band / Hudson Brothers

Aired: 10/31/1976

Gabe Kaplan (cameo) - introduces Helen Reddy --Helen Reddy (host) - ""Angie Baby,"" ""Pretty Pretty,"" ""Long Hard Climb,"" ""Talk"" & ""I Am Woman"" --The J. Geils Band - ""Love Itis,"" ""Orange Driver"" & ""Give It to Me"" --The Hudson Brothers - ""Ma Ma Ma Baby"" & ""Stop"" --Tavares - ""It Only Takes a Minute"" & ""Free Ride"

8. Host: Helen Reddy

Aired: 11/14/1975

-Helen Reddy (host) - ""Delta Dawn,"" ""Emotion"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Helen Reddy and Neil Sedaka - ""Sad Eyes"" --The Captain and Tennille - ""Natural Woman"" --The Captain and Tennille with Neil Sedaka - ""Love Will Keep Us Together"" --KC & the Sunshine Band - ""(That's the Way) I Like It"" & ""Get Down Tonight"" --Freddie Prinze (stand-up comedy) --Neil Sedaka - ""Bad Blood,"" ""Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,"" ""Lonely Night (Angel Face),"" ""When You Were Loving Me"" --""Hit of the Week"": The Rolling Stones' ""Brown Sugar""

9. Helen Reddy / David Essex / Brenda Lee / Jimmie Walker

Aired: 11/21/1975

Helen Reddy (host) - ""Angie Baby"" & ""Somewhere in the Night"" --David Essex - ""Rock On,"" ""All the Fun of the Fair"" & ""Won't Get Burned Again"" --Brenda Lee - ""Bringing It Back"" & ""Too Hard to Handle"" --Tom Scott & L.A. Express - ""Good Evening Mr. and Mrs. America,"" ""Tomcat"" & ""Rock Island Rocket"" --Jimmie Walker (stand-up comedy)

10. Helen Reddy / Frankie Valli / KISS / Barry Manilow

Aired: 11/28/1976

Helen Reddy (host) - ""Birthday Song,"" ""Belle of the Blues"" & ""I Am Woman"" --David Brenner (comedy segment) --KISS - ""Deuce"" & ""She"" --Barry Manilow - ""Something's Comin' Up,"" ""Tryin' to Get That Feelin' Again"" & ""I Want to Be Somebody's Baby"" --Frankie Valli - ""My Eyes Adored You"" --Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - ""Who Loves You?"" Midnight Special tribute to Harry Nilsson

15. Host: Helen Reddy

Aired: 1/9/1976

--Helen Reddy (host) - ""Angie Baby"" --Joan Baez - ""Diamonds and Rust"" & ""Children and All That Jazz"" --Glen Campbell - ""Rhinestone Cowboy"" --Earth, Wind & Fire - ""Shining Star"" --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Can't Get It Out of My Head"" & ""Laredo Tornado"" --Freddy Fender - ""Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"" --Janis Ian - ""At Seventeen"" --LaBelle - ""Lady Marmalade"" --Minnie Riperton - ""Lovin' You"" --Neil Sedaka - medley of hits & ""Bad Blood""

17. Helen Reddy / Natalie Cole / Petula Clark

Aired: 1/23/1976

Helen Reddy (host) - ""Sweet Sympathy,"" ""You Know Me"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Petula Clark - ""Give Me a Smile"" & ""Going Out of My Head"" --Natalie Cole - ""This Will Be"" & ""I Can't Say No"" --C.W. McCall - ""Convoy"" & ""The Silverton"" --Uriah Heep - ""Shady Lady"" --Ted Neely - ""Paradise"" & ""Gethsemane"" --Billy Braver (stand-up comedian)

19. Host: Wolfman Jack (3rd Anniversary Show, Part 1)

Aired: 2/13/1976

Third Anniversary Show --Wolfman Jack (host) --Herb Alpert (from 20-Jun-75) - ""Desert Dance"" and a medley of hits (""Lonely Bull,"" ""Spanish Flea,"" ""This Guy's in Love with You,"" ""Taste of Honey"" and ""Zorba the Greek"") --Glen Campbell - ""Rhinestone Cowboy"" --George Carlin (stand-up comedy) --Gladys Knight and the Pips - ""Midnight Train to Georgia"" & ""I've Got to Use My Imagination"" --Randy Newman - ""All His Love"" --The O'Jays - ""Put Your Hands Together"" and a medley (""People Keep Telling Me,"" ""Time to Get Down,"" ""This Air I Breathe,"" ""992 Arguments"" and ""Backstabbers"") --Linda Ronstadt - ""When Will I Be Loved"" --Frankie Valli - ""My Eyes Adored You"" and a medley of hits (""Sherry,"" ""Walk Like a Man,"" ""Big Girls Don't Cry"" and ""Bye Bye Baby"") --Salute to Elton John

21. Host: David Brenner

Aired: 2/27/1976

David Brenner (guest host) - stand-up comedy segments throughout show --Fleetwood Mac - ""Over My Head"" & ""Rhiannon"" --Lesley Gore - ""Immortality"" & ""Can't Seem to Live Our Good Times Down"" --B.B. King - ""Breaking Up Somebody's Home"" & ""Reconsider Baby"" --Michael Murphy - ""Renegade"" & ""Wildflower"" --Anne Murray - ""Sunday Sunrise"" --Midnight Special salute to Dion

22. Helen Reddy / Miracles / Tanya Tucker / ELO

Aired: 3/5/1976

Helen Reddy (host) - ""Somewhere in the Night"" --Frankie Avalon - ""Venus"" --Frankie Avalon and Helen Reddy - ""Why"" --David Bowie - ""Fame"" (music video?) --Billy Braver (comedy segment with Helen Reddy) --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Evil Woman,"" ""Nightrider"" & ""Strange Magic"" --The Miracles - ""Love Machine,"" ""Ain't Nobody Straight in L.A."" & ""Do It Baby"" --Tanya Tucker - ""Don't Believe My Heart Can Stand Another You"" & ""You've Got Me to Hold On To"" --Midnight Special salute to Little Richard

23. Helen Reddy / Peter Frampton / Rufus feat. Chaka Khan

Aired: 3/19/1976

Helen Reddy (host) - ""The Immigrant,"" ""Nice to Be Around"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Peter Frampton - ""Show Me the Way"" & ""Baby I Love Your Way"" --Melissa Manchester - ""Just You and I,"" ""Rescue Me"" & ""Sing Sing Sing"" --Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - ""Sweet Thing"" & ""Fool's Paradise"" --Jimmie Walker (comedy segment) --Midnight Special salute to Johnny Rivers

24. Helen Reddy / Gordon Lightfoot / Little Richard

Aired: 3/26/1976

-Helen Reddy (host) - ""Modern Day Magic,"" ""Hold Me in Dreams Tonight"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Eric Carmen - ""All By Myself"" & ""That's Rock 'n' Roll"" --Gordon Lightfoot - ""Summertime Dream,"" ""Spanish Moss"" & ""I'm Not Supposed to Care"" --Little Richard - ""Call My Name"" --Little Richard & Helen Reddy - ""Since I Met You Baby"" --Barbara Mandrell - ""Rocky Top"" --Donna Summer - ""Love to Love You Baby"" & ""Could It Be Magic"" --Midnight Special salute: Jimmy Webb

25. Host: Natalie Cole

Aired: 4/2/1976

Natalie Cole (guest host) - ""This Will Be,"" ""Mr. Melody,"" ""Inseparable"" & ""Sophisticated Lady"" --The Bee Gees - ""Nights on Broadway"" & ""Jive Talkin'"" --Keith Carradine - ""I'm Easy"" --Charo - ""La Salsa"" --Earth, Wind and Fire - ""Mighty Mighty"" & ""Shining Star"" --KC and the Sunshine Band - ""That's the Way (I Like It)"" & ""Get Down Tonight"" --Gwen McCrae - ""Rockin' Chair"" & ""He Don't Ever Lose His Groove"" --Midnight Special salute to Alvin Lee and Ten Years After

26. Host: Helen Reddy

Aired: 4/9/1976

-Helen Reddy (host) - ""This Masquerade"" & ""I Am Woman"" --Fleetwood Mac - ""Rhiannon"" & ""World Turning"" --Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds - ""Winners and Losers"" & ""Everyday Without You"" --Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds with Helen Reddy - ""Fallin' in Love"" --Barry Manilow - ""Tryin' to Get the Feelin' Again"" & ""Something's Comin' Up"" --Queen - ""Bohemian Rhapsody"" (probably a music video) --Gary Wright - ""Dream Weaver,"" ""Are You Weeping"" & ""My Love Is Alive""

27. Janis Ian

Aired: 4/23/1976

29. Host: Paul Anka

Aired: 5/21/1976

Paul Anka (host) - ""Put Your Head on My Shoulder"" --Joan Baez - ""The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"" & ""Simple Twist of Fate"" --The Beatles (on film) - ""Hey Jude"" --The Bee Gees - ""Run to Me"" --Chuck Berry - ""Maybellene"" & ""Sweet Little Sixteen"" --The Carpenters - ""Please Me. Postman"" --Chubby Checker - ""The Twist"" --Jim Croce - ""Big Bad Leroy Brown"" --Peter Frampton - ""Show Me the Way"" & ""Baby I Love Your Way"" --Bill Haley and the Comets - ""Rock Around the Clock"" & ""See You Later Alligator"" --Herman's Hermits - ""I'm Henry VIII I Am"" & ""Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter"" --Elvis Presley (on film) - ""Don't Be Cruel"" --Helen Reddy - ""Delta Dawn""

30. Host: Neil Sedaka

Aired: 6/4/1976

Neil Sedaka (host) - ""Steppin' Out,"" ""Love in the Shadows,"" ""Good Times Good Music Good Friends,"" ""You Gotta make Your Own Sunshine,"" ""Teach Your Children"" & ""Number One Heartache"" --Neil Sedaka and Kim Carnes - ""Perfect Strangers"" --Eric Carmen - ""Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"" & ""All By Myself"" --Kim Carnes - ""You're Part of Me"" & ""Nothing Makes Me Feel as Good as a Love Song"" --The Commodores - ""Sweet Love"" & ""Slippery When Wet"" --Midnight Special salute to Yes --Hit of the Week: ""Teach Your Children"" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

31. Host: Helen Reddy

Aired: 6/11/1976

Helen Reddy (host) - ""You Are a Song,"" ""No One Told Me"" & ""I Am Woman"" --David Brenner (comedian) - comedy segment with Helen Reddy --Fleetwood Mac - ""Rhiannon,"" ""Why"" (1974 song) & ""Over My Head"" --Dorothy Moore - ""Misty Blue"" & ""Funny How Time Slips Away"" --Gary Wright - ""My Love Is Alive,"" ""Dream Weaver"" & ""Can't Find the Judge"" --Midnight Special tribute to Paul Anka (2-part salute with clips from past performances) --Plus, a demonstration of the latest disco dances

33. Host: Natalie Cole

Aired: 6/25/1976

Natalie Cole (host) - ""Sophisticated Lady,"" ""Keep Smiling,"" ""Touch Me"" & ""No Plans for the Future"" --The Captain and Tennille - ""Shop Around"" & ""Lonely Night (Angel Face),"" --Billy Crystal (comedian) - stand-up comedy monologue (re: compaires NY to California; Disneyland) --Electric Light Orchestra - ""Strange Magic"" & ""Evil Woman"" --Sonny James - medley of his hats --Sonny James with Pratt and McClain - ""Devil with a Blue Dress"" --Pratt and McClain - ""Happy Days"" --Midnight Special tribute to Jethro Tull (with taped interview of band leader, Ian Anderson) Clips of Jethro Tull are also shown during the closing credits

38. Host: David Brenner

Aired: 7/30/1976

David Brenner (host) - introduces other guests and does comedy monologues --George Benson - ""This Masquerade"" & ""Breezin'"" --Hot Chocolate - ""You Sexy Thing"" & ""Brother Louie"" --Phoebe Snow - ""Poetry Man"" & ""Harpo's Blues"" --The Sylvers - ""Boogie Fever,"" ""Free Style"" & ""Cotton Candy"" --Gary Wright - ""My Love is Alive"" & ""Dream Weaver"

39. Host: James Brown

Aired: 8/6/1976

James Brown - ""Sex Machine,"" ""Get Up Offa That Thing,"" ""Try Me,"" ""A Man's World"" & ""Everybody Wanna Get Funky One More Time"" --Peter Frampton - ""Baby I Love Your Way"" --Rhythm Heritage - ""Baretta's Theme (Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow)"" --Seals & Crofts - ""Get Closer"" & ""Goodbye Old Buddies"" --J.D. Souther - ""Black Rose,"" ""Banging My Head Against the Moon"" & ""Silver Blue"" --Midnight Special salute to Alice Cooper (2-part tribute) --Music video: Elton John and Kiki Dee - ""Don't Go Breakin' My Heart""

42. Host: Jimmie Walker

Aired: 8/27/1976

-Jimmie Walker (host) --Lynn Anderson - medley (""Rose Garden,"" ""Top of the World"" and ""Cry"") & ""Gone At Last"" --Elvin Bishop - ""Struttin' My Stuff"" --Cate Brothers - ""Union Man"" & ""Can't Change My Heart"" --1st National Rotagilla Band - ""Rotagilla Chorus"" & ""I Feel Like Singing"" --Henry Gross - ""Springtime Mama"" & ""Southern Band"" --Johnnie Taylor - ""Disco Lady"" & ""Somebody's Gettin' It"" --Midnight Special salute: Neil Sedaka

43. Host: Aretha Franklin

Aired: 9/10/1976

Aretha Franklin (host) - ""Respect,"" ""Sparkle"" (theme from the movie) & ""Mr. D.J."" --Aretha Franklin does impressions of Billy Holiday (""Easy to Remember""); Gladys Knight (""Midnight Train to Georgia"") and Diana Ross (""Ain't No Mountain High Enough"") --Bob Greenberg persents Aretha with a gold album for ""Sparkle"" --Lou Rawls - ""You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,"" ""Groovy People"" & ""This Song Will Last Forever"" --The Marshall Tucker Band - ""Long Hard Ride,"" ""Fire on the Mountain"" & ""Searchin' for a Rainbow"" --The Movies - ""Dancin' on Ice"" --Midnight Special salute to Paul Williams

44. Host: Neil Sedaka

Aired: 6/4/1976

-Neil Sedaka (host) - ""Steppin' Out,"" ""Love in the Shadows,"" ""Good Times Good Music Good Friends,"" ""You Gotta make Your Own Sunshine,"" ""Teach Your Children"" & ""Number One Heartache"" --Neil Sedaka and Kim Carnes - ""Perfect Strangers"" --Eric Carmen - ""Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"" & ""All By Myself"" --Kim Carnes - ""You're Part of Me"" & ""Nothing Makes Me Feel as Good as a Love Song"" --The Commodores - ""Sweet Love"" & ""Slippery When Wet"" --Midnight Special salute to Yes --Hit of the Week: ""Teach Your Children"" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young