WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- Before David Letterman made it big, he was on The Starland Vocal Band Show. You may not remember that show, but you've no doubt heard that band's smash hit, "Afternoon Delight."
In the summer of 1976, "Afternoon Delight" soared to number one on the pop charts. The Starland Vocal Band consisted of two married couples- Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert Danoff, and Jon Carroll and Margot Chapman. The foursome was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won two for Best New Artist and Best Vocal Arrangement. The song, and the Grammy awards led to the band's TV show right here on CBS/WUSA9.
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Letterman and the band taped a weeks worth of the music and comedy show around the Washington area. The band members, who called Washington home, sang their soft rock harmonizing tunes at Great Falls National Park, by the canal in Georgetown and other area landmarks.
Glen Echo Amusement Park, which had been abandon then, was the perfect setting for silly skits. And the White House served as a background for more slapstick.
They recorded several skits with Letterman, including one with Letterman playing a t-shirt salesman.
"I remember wanting to do it again," says Jon Carroll, Starland's keyboardist and singer.
Carroll was 20 when the show aired. He says their music was a lot better than the ill-conceived show.
"We just knew if somebody offers you a six week summer replacement series in prime time, that is not something you say no to."
But Carroll wishes they had. "It wasn't all bad. It was mostly bad."
Carroll says he and the other band members knew the show was not funny and not them.
"I noticed there was a tongue and cheek aspect to everything everyone else was doing. Which David Letterman does very well."
Carroll believes the show, which only ran six weeks, Hurt the band's image. Sales dropped. But Carol takes solace in the idea that David Letterman may have gotten a boost from The Starland Vocal Band Show.
"We were all sort of at the front end of something big and David Letterman struck me as someone who was very aware that he was on the front end of something very big. He was going for the whole enchilada and he got it. It was actually a thrill to see."
