Get It Together (ABC 1970, Cass Elliot, Sam Riddle)

Published

7 years ago

April 9, 2017

The hottest bands in the land turned out every week on Get It Together, a short-lived companion program to American Bandstand. Eternal teenager Dick Clark produced the show, but hosting duties went to Sam Riddle and “Mama” Cass Elliot.

Get It Together was a much shorter program than its Dick Clark counterpart, and the show compensated by leaving out many of the traditional Bandstand staples—the dances, “Rate-a-Record,” etc. What remained was simply the music, and in this department, Get It Together was clearly Bandstand’s equal. Musicians—both the established and the up-and-coming—flocked to the show, performing their hits in front of a live audience of rock-crazed teens.

Over the eight months Get It Together graced ABC’s Saturday lineup, the show featured performances from Three Dog Night, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Turtles, Steppenwolf, The Carpenters, Mark Lindsay, The Cowsills, Edwin Starr, The Righteous Brothers and many more. But even with this impressive musical lineup, Get It Together was unable to keep it together for a second season, succumbing to the teen idol competition of The Monkees repeats on CBS.

production details
USA / ABC – Dick Clark Productions / Broadcast 3 January – 5 September 1970

hosts
Cass Elliot
Sam Riddle