# List of guests appearing on The Midnight Special

This is a partial list of guests who appeared on The Midnight Special.

## Series overview

| Season | Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Originally aired |
| Season | Season | Episodes | Premiere | Finale |
| | 1 | 33 | August 19, 1972 | September 8, 1973 |
| | 2 | 50 | September 15, 1973 | September 14, 1974 |
| | 3 | 48 | September 28, 1974 | September 13, 1975 |
| | 4 | 43 | September 20, 1975 | September 11, 1976 |
| | 5 | 38 | September 18, 1976 | August 13, 1977 |
| | 6 | 44 | September 10, 1977 | September 8, 1978 |
| | 7 | 35 | September 16, 1978 | September 15, 1979 |
| | 8 | 34 | September 22, 1979 | August 2, 1980 |
| | 9 | 25 | September 6, 1980 | March 27, 1981 |

## Season 3 (1974-1975)

| Episode | Host | Performers | Original Air Date |
| 1 | Randy Newman | Randy Newman (host) - "Mama Told Me Not to Come," "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear," "Political Science," "Davy and the Fat Boy," "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," "Rolling," "All His Love" & "Louisiana 1927" Ry Cooder - "Ditty Wah Ditty" Dr. John - "Let's Make a Better World," "Desitively Bonnaroo," "Mos' Scocious" & "Mama Don't Allow" Dr. John and Maria Muldaur - "Three Dollar Bill" Maria Muldaur - "Sweetheart," Lover Man" & "Squeeze Me" The Turtles - "Happy Together," "Feel Older Now," "Let Me Make Love to You" & "You Showed Me" | September 27, 1974 |
| 2 | Al Green | Al Green (host) - "Sweet Talk," "Tired of Being Alone," "Sha La La," "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)," "I'm Still in Love with You" & "Love and Happiness." Al Green - medley: "Funny How Time Slips Away," "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," "For the Good Times" and "Let's Stay Together" Joe Cocker - "Something" & "Delta Lady" | October 4, 1974 |
| 3 | Jose Feliciano | Jose Feliciano (host) - "My Sweet Lord," "Chico and the Man," "T.S.O.P.," "Golden Lady" & "Love's Theme" Jesse Colin - "Morning Sun" & "Light Shine" Hot Tuna - "Hamar Promenade," "Day to Day Out the Window Blues" & "I See the Light" The Main Ingredient - "Everybody Plays the Fool," "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" & "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" Buffy Sainte-Marie - "I Can't Take It No More" & "That's the Way You Fall in Love" | October 11, 1974 |
| 4 | Paul Anka "Midnight Top 40 Special" | Paul Anka - "You're Having My Baby," "Jubilation," "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," "American Pie" & "Let Me Get to Know You" Odia Coates and Paul Anka - "One Man Woman" James Brown - "Papa Don't Take No Mess" & "Good Foot" Brownsville Station - "Kings of the Party" The Guess Who with Wolfman Jack - "Clap for the Wolfman" The Guess Who - "American Woman" Ohio Players - "Skin Tight" The Tymes - "You Little Trustmaker" | October 18, 1974 |
| 5 | David Steinberg | David Steinberg (host) Burns and Schreiber (comedy team of Jack Burns and Avery Schreiber) The Committee (comedy troupe) Steve Martin Pat McCormick (comedian) Monty Python's Flying Circus (clip from TV show) Freddie Prinze (comedian) | October 25, 1974 |
| 6 | Fats Domino | Fats Domino (host) - "I'm in Love Again," "Blueberry Hill," "Ain't That a Shame?" "Josephine," "Walkin' to New Orleans," "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday," "Blue Monday," "I Want to Walk You Home" & "When the Saints Go Marching In" The Coasters - "Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy" & "Charlie Brown" Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - "Dawn," "Let's Hang On," "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," "Sherry," "Walk Like a Man," "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Bye Bye Baby," "Stay," "My Eyes Adored You," "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" & "Rag Doll" | November 1, 1974 |
| 7 | Redd Foxx | Golden Earring - "Big Tree Blue Sea," "Candy's Going Bad," "She Flies on Strange Wings" & "Love Is a Rodeo" Little Anthony and the Imperials - "What Is Hip?" "Goin' Out of My Head," "Hurts So Bad," "I Don't Have to Worry" & "The Loneliest House on the Block" Orphan - "I've Been Working" | November 8, 1974 |
| 8 | Barry White | Barry White (host) - "You're the First, the Last, My Everything," "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," "Never Gonna Give You Up," "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" & "I Found Someone" The Eric Burdon Band - "It's My Life," "The Real Me" & "When I Was Young" Love Unlimited Orchestra - "Love's Theme," "Barry's Theme," "I Belong to You," "Oh Love We Finally Made It" & "Love Train" | November 15, 1974 |
| 9 | George Carlin | George Carlin (host) The Kiki Dee Band - "I've Got the Music in Me" Roger McGuinn - "Peace on You" & "Better Change" Sparks - "Takent Is an Asset," "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us," "Amateur Hour" & "Here In Heaven" Roy Wood's Wizzard - "Brand New '88" & "Ball Park Incident" | November 22, 1974 |
| 10 | Bobby Vinton | Bobby Vinton (host) - "My Melody of Love" "I Honestly Love You" & "Mr. Lonely" Carl Carlton - "Everlasting Love" Al Green - "Sha La La," "I'm Still in Love with You" & "Let's Stay Together" Rufus (featuring Chaka Khan) - "Tell Me Something Good" & "You Got the Love" Neil Sedaka - "Laughter in the Rain" & "Standing on the Inside" Billy Swan - "I Can Help" | November 29, 1974 |
| 11 | Tom Jones | Tom Jones (host) - "My Soul Is a Witness," "Greenwood, Mississippi," "I Guess You Know Me Girl," "Pledging My Love," medley, "It Never Hurts to Be Nice to Somebody," "Danny Boy," "One Night with You," "Right Place, Wrong Time" & "Pledging My Love" Paul Anka and Tom Jones - "My Way" & "She's a Lady" Chuck Berry - "Johnny B. Goode" Chuck Berry and Tom Jones - "School Days," "Memphis" & "Roll Over Beethoven" The Kiki Dee Band - "I've Got the Music in Me" | December 6, 1974 |
| 12 | Wolfman Jack | Million Sellers (Part 1) Paul Anka - "You're Having My Baby" Blue Magic - "Sideshow" James Brown - "The Payback" Gordon Lightfoot - "Sundown" Love Unlimited Orchestra - "Love's Theme" Olivia Newton-John - "If You Love Me Let Me Know" Steve Miller - "The Joker" Redbone - "Come and Get Your Love" Rufus, featuring Chaka Khan - "Tell Me Something Good" The Stylistics - "You Make Me Feel Brand New" Barry White - "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" & "Never Gonna Give You Up" Bobby Womack - "Looking for Love" | December 13, 1974 |
| 13 | Wolfman Jack | Million Sellers (Part 2) Brownsville Station - "Smokin' in the Boys Room" David Essex - "Rock On" Marvin Hamlisch - "The Way We Were" & "The Entertainer" Gladys Knight & the Pips - "I've Got to Use My Imagination" & "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" Kool and the Gang - "Hollywood Swinging" & "Jungle Boogie" The Main Ingredient - "I Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" Byron McGregor - "The Americans" Olivia Newton-John - "Let Me Be There" The O'Jays - "For the Love of Money" Ohio Players - "Skin Tight" | December 20, 1974 |
| 14 | Charley Pride | Filmed on location at the Tulsa State Fair. An all-country episode Charley Pride (guest host) - "Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone?" "Kiss an Angel Good Morning," "Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town," "Cotton Fields," "All I Have to Offer You Is Me," "Kawliga," "It's Gonna Take a Little Bit Longer," "Louisiana Man," "Let Me Live" & "The Fugitive" The Four Guys - "Too Late to Turn Back Now" Doug Kershaw - "Diggy Diggy Lo," "Battle of New Orleans," "All I Want to Do Is Make Babies" & "Whatcha Gonna Do When You Can't" Ronnie Milsap - "Rolling in My Sweet Baby's Arms," "Pure Love" and a medley of rock songs. Gary Stewart - "Drinking Thing" | December 27, 1974 |
| 15 | The Guess Who | The Guess Who and Wolfman Jack - "Clap for the Wolfman" The Guess Who - "Dancin' Fool," "Bus Rider," "Sour Suite," "No Time," "Diggin' Yourself" and "Dirty" Charlie Daniels - "Way Down Yonder" & "I've Been Down" Montrose - "I Got the Fire" & "Space Station #5" The Spencer Davis Group - "Gimme Some Lovin'," "Workin' on the Railread" & "Don't Throw Your Change on Me" Note: Average White Band had originally been scheduled for this episode but were unable to appear, with Montrose appearing in their stead. | January 3, 1975 |
| 16 | The Righteous Brothers "The Midnight Top 40 Special" | The Righteous Brothers - "Dream On" / "Rock and Roll Heaven" / "Give It to the People" The Guess Who - "Dancin' Fool" (encore from the previous episode) George Foreman (cameo) Frankie Valli - "My Eyes Adored You" (with The Four Seasons) Paul Anka and Odia Coates - "One Man Woman/One Woman Man" (encore from October 18, 1974) Gloria Gaynor - "Never Can Say Goodbye" Bobby Hatfield - "You Turn Me Around" Bill Medley - "Brown Eyed Woman" Carol Douglas - "Doctor's Orders" / "Baby Don't Let This Good Love Die" Billy "Crash" Craddock - "Ruby Baby" The Four Seasons - "Sherry" / "Walk Like a Man" / "Big Girls Don't Cry" / "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby, Goodbye)" Note: The Four Seasons segments were recorded along with the episode two weeks prior at the Tulsa State Fair. | January 10, 1975 |
| 17 | Electric Light Orchestra | The Ohio Players Linda Ronstadt Rufus featuring Chaka Khan | January 17, 1975 |
| 18 | | | January 24, 1975 |
| 19 | Helen Reddy Second Anniversary Special | | January 31, 1975 |
* Aerosmith - "Train Kept A-Rollin'" and "Dream On"
* Ann Peebles
* Barry White - "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" and "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up"
* Billy Joel
* Bill Withers - "Ain't No Sunshine"
* Bonnie Tyler - "It's a Heartache" (This must be an error—song was not released until 1977)
* Brownsville Station - "Smokin' in the Boys Room"
* Charlie Rich - "Behind Closed Doors"
* Curtis Mayfield - "Superfly"
* David Brenner
* David Essex - "Rock On"
* Dobie Gray - "Drift Away"
* Eddie Kendricks - "Keep On Truckin'"
* Edgar Winter Group - "Frankenstein"
* Edwin Starr
* El Chicano
* Freddie Prinze
* Genesis
* Gladys Knight & B.B. King - "The Thrill is Gone"
* Gladys Knight & the Pips - "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me"
* Golden Earring - "Radar Love"
* Gordon Lightfoot - "Sundown" and "If You Could Read My Mind"
* The Guess Who - "American Woman" and"Undun"
* Hot Tuna - "Hamar Promenade", "Day to Day Out the Window Blues" and "I See the Light"
* Humble Pie - "Oh La-De-Da" and "30 Days in the Hole"
* Ike & Tina Turner - "Proud Mary"
* James Brown - "The Payback"
* Jo Jo Gunne
* Jobriath - "I'maman" and "Rock of Ages"
* Kool And The Gang - "Hollywood Swinging and Jungle Boogie"
* Leo Sayer
* Little Richard
* Loggins and Messina- "Your Mama Don't Dance"
* Lynn Anderson
* The Main Ingredient - "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely"
* Maria Muldaur - "Midnight at the Oasis"
* Marvin Gaye - "Let's Get It On and What's Going On"
* Montrose - "Paper Money" and "I Got the Fire"
* Neil Sedaka - "Laughter in the Rain"
* The New York Dolls
* The O'Jays - "Love Train"
* Ohio Players - "Skin Tight"
* Olivia Newton-John - "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)"
* The Spinners
* Phil Ochs and Jim Glover - "The Power and the Glory" and "Changes"
* Redbone - "Come and Get Your Love"
* Robert Palmer - "Bad Case Of Lovin' You (Doctor, Doctor)" (This must be an error—song was not released until 1979)
* Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan - "Tell Me Something Good"
* Shirley & Lee - "Let the Good Times Roll"
* Sly & the Family Stone - "Everybody is a Star" and "Thank You (Falletin Me be Mice-Elf Again)"
* Stories - "Brother Louie"
* The Stylistics - "You Make Me Feel Brand New"
* Todd Rundgren - "Couldn't I Just Tell You?" & "A Dream Goes On Forever"
* War - "Cisco Kid"

## 1975

* ABBA - "SOS" and "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"
* Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles - "It Takes Two to Tango"
* Barry Manilow - "Mandy" and "Could It Be Magic?"
* The Bee Gees - "Nights on Broadway", "Jive Talkin'" and "To Love Somebody" (Duet With Helen Reddy)
* Captain & Tennille - "Love Will Keep Us Together (Duet With Neil Sedaka)"
* David Steinberg
* Dolly Parton
* Earth Wind and Fire - "Shining Star"
* Electric Light Orchestra (guest hosts) - "In the Hall of the Mountain King", "Great Balls of Fire", "Can't Get It Out of My Head", "Orange Blossom Special", "Laredo Tornado", "Flight of the Bumble Bee" & "Roll Over Beethoven"
* Frankie Valli (Guest Host) - "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"
* Glen Campbell - "Rhinestone Cowboy"
* Helen Reddy - "I Am Woman", "Delta Dawn" and "Angie Baby"
* The Hollies - "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)"
* Jack Burns & Avery Schreiber
* KC and the Sunshine Band - "That's the Way (I Like It)"
* KISS - "Black Diamond", "Deuce", & "She"
* Kraftwerk - "Autobahn"
* Labelle - "Lady Marmalade", “What Can I Do for You?”
* Leo Sayer
* Linda Ronstadt
* Minnie Riperton - "Lovin' You"
* Natalie Cole - "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)"
* Neil Sedaka - "Bad Blood", "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"
* Ohio Players - "Love Rollercoaster"
* Olivia Newton-John - "Have You Never Been Mellow"
* Orleans - "Dance with Me"
* Peter Frampton - "Show Me the Way", "Do You Feel Like We Do", "Baby, I Love Your Way"
* PFM - "Celebration" and "Alta Loma Nine Till Five"'
* Rod Stewart - "You Wear It Well"
* Roxy Music - "Out Of The Blue", "The Thrill Of It All", "A Really Good Time" (aired 05/09/1975)
* Todd Rundgren - "Real Man", "Freedom Fighters" & "Seven Rays"
* The Whitney Family

## 1976

* Aretha Franklin - "Respect", "Something He Can Feel"
* Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around the Clock", "See You Later Alligator" (archive footage from the movie Rock Around the Clock)
* Diana Ross - "Love Hangover"
* Donna Summer - "Love to Love You Baby"
* Electric Light Orchestra - "Evil Woman", "Nightrider" & "Strange Magic"
* Elton John - "Your Song"
* Electric Light Orchestra - "Evil Woman", "Can't Get It Out of My Head" and "Strange Magic"
* England Dan and John Ford Coley - "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight"
* Eric Carmen - "All By Myself"
* Fleetwood Mac - "Over My Head", "Rhiannon", "World Turning", "Why"
* Gary Wright - "Dream Weaver", "Love Is Alive"
* George Benson - "This Masquerade"
* Heart - "Magic Man", "Crazy On You", "Dreamboat Annie"
* Helen Reddy
* Hot Chocolate - "You Sexy Thing"
* Janis Ian - "At Seventeen"
* Joan Baez - "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"
* LaBelle - "Lady Marmalade"
* Lynn Anderson - "Stand By Your Man", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" w/Tom Jones
* Minnie Riperton - "Lovin' You"
* The Miracles - "Love Machine"
* Michael Murphey - "Wildfire"
* Peter Frampton - "Show Me the Way"
* Ray Charles - "Georgia on My Mind"
* Spinners - "The Rubberband Man"
* Starbuck - "Moonlight Feels Right"
* Tom Jones - "Delilah, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" w/Lynn Anderson
* Walter Murphy and The Big Apple Band - "A Fifth of Beethoven"
* Wild Cherry - "Play That Funky Music"

## 1977

* Andrew Gold - "Lonely Boy"
* Andy Gibb - "I Just Want To Be Your Everything"
* Andy Kaufman - "I Trusted You"
* Bonnie Raitt - "Runaway"
* Bread (hosts) - "Make It With You"
* Dave Mason - "We Just Disagree"
* Eddie Rabbitt - "Rocky Mountain Music"
* Electric Light Orchestra (hosts) - "Rockaria!", "Livin' Thing", "Do Ya", "Telephone Line" & "Livin' Thing (reprise)"
* Emmylou Harris
* The Emotions - "Best Of My Love"
* Gino Vannelli - "Summers of My Life"
* James Brown - "Get Up Offa That Thing"
* Jennifer Warnes - "Right Time of the Night"
* Jesse Winchester -
* Johnny Rivers - "Slow Dancin'"
* Journey "Feeling That Way " "Anytime" "Wheel in the Sky"
* Leo Sayer - "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing"
* Little Feat - "Dixie Chicken"
* Lou Rawls - "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine"
* Manfred Mann's Earth Band - "Blinded by the Light"
* Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. - "You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show)"
* Marvin Gaye - "What's Going On", "Got to Give It Up"
* Player
* Renaissance - "Midas Man" & "Carpet of the Sun"
* Sanford-Townsend Band - "Smoke from a Distant Fire"
* Thelma Houston - "Don't Leave Me This Way"
* Thin Lizzy - "Jailbreak (Thin Lizzy song)"
* Van Morrison - "Domino"
* Weather Report - "Birdland"

## 1978

* AC/DC - "Sin City"
* Aerosmith - "Come Together"
* Ambrosia - "How Much I Feel"
* Andy Gibb - "I Just Want To Be Your Everything"
* Billy Preston "Nothing From Nothing"
* The Cars - "Just What I Needed"
* Cheap Trick - "Surrender"
* Chic - "Le Freak," "Everybody Dance"
* Chuck Mangione - "Feels So Good"
* Crystal Gayle - "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue"
* Dan Hill - "Sometimes When We Touch"
* David Bowie
* Dolly Parton
* Donna Summer - "Last Dance", "I Feel Love", "Heaven Knows"
* Eddie Money - "Baby Hold On," "Two Tickets to Paradise"
* Electric Light Orchestra - "Telephone Line"
* The Emotions - "Best Of My Love"
* Evelyn Champagne King - "Shame", "I Don't Know If It's Right"
* Exile - "Kiss You All Over"
* Four Tops - "Ain't No Woman (Like The One I've Got)"
* George Benson
* Golden Earring - "Grab It for a Second", "Against the Grain"
* Hall & Oates - "Rich Girl"
* KC and the Sunshine Band
* Leo Sayer - "When I Need You"
* Nick Lowe- "So It Goes"
* Peaches & Herb
* Player
* REO Speedwagon - "Roll With The Changes"
* Rick James - "Mary Jane"
* Robert Palmer - "Every Kinda People"
* Ronnie Montrose - Town Without Pity & "My Little Mystery"
* Starland Vocal Band - "Afternoon Delight"
* Sylvester - "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)", "Dance (Disco Heat)", and "Grateful"
* Ted Nugent - "Cat Scratch Fever", "Need You Bad", "Free For All" (Hosted this Show)
* The O'Jays - "For The Love Of Money"
* Sammy Hagar - "You Make Me Crazy"
* Thin Lizzy - "The Cowboy Song", "Live From the Rainbow London"
* Todd Rundgren - "Can We Still Be Friends" & "Bread" (with the Hello People)
* Todd Rundgren's Utopia - (guest host) "Real Man", "You Cried Wolf", "Love in Action", "Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel" & "Just One Victory"
* Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - "American Girl", Listen To Her Heart and I Need to Know"
* The Trammps - "Disco Inferno"
* Village People
* Yvonne Elliman - "If I Can't Have You"

## 1979

* Alice Cooper - "Medley: Eighteen/Only Women Bleed/Billion Dollar Babies," "Inmates (We're All Crazy)"
* Amii Stewart - "Knock on Wood"
* The Babys - "Everytime I Think of You"
* The Beach Boys - "Good Vibrations"
* Bonnie Pointer - "Heaven Must Have Sent You"
* Blondie - "One Way or Another," "Dreaming," "Heart of Glass"
* The Cars - "Let's Go," "Just What I Needed," "Dangerous Type, "My Best Friend's Girl"
* The Charlie Daniels Band - "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"
* The Commodores - "Three Times a Lady", "Brick House"
* Crystal Gayle - "Cry Me a River"
* Dan Hartman - "Instant Replay"
* Dolly Parton - "I Will Always Love You"
* Gloria Gaynor - "I Will Survive," "Never Can Say Good-bye"
* Grace Jones - "Below the Belt", "Do or Die"
* Journey - "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," "Wheel in the Sky," "City of The Angels"
* KC and the Sunshine Band
* Minnie Riperton - "Lovin' You" (memorial replay of her 1975 appearance)
* Nick Gilder - "Hot Child in the City"
* Peaches & Herb - "Reunited," "Shake Your Groove Thing"
* The Pointer Sisters - "Fire"
* Randy Jones
* Rick James - "You and I"
* Robert Fripp - "Frippertronics"
* Rupert Holmes - "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)"
* The Three Degrees - "Giving Up Giving In", The Runner"
* The Jacksons - "Shake Your Body Down To The Ground"
* Tina Turner
* Todd Rundgren
* Village People

## 1980

* America - "Sister Golden Hair"
* Benny Mardones - "Into the Night"
* Billy Preston
* Christopher Cross
* David Bowie
* Eddie Rabbitt - "Drivin' My Life Away"
* Frankie Valli & Commodores - "Grease"
* Gladys Knight & the Pips
* Hall & Oates - "Kiss on My List"
* Isaac Hayes - "Don't Let Go"
* John Mellencamp - "This Time" & "Ain't Even Done With The Night"
* Leo Sayer
* Olivia Newton-John - "Magic", "Dancin'"
* Randy Jones
* REO Speedwagon - "Keep on Loving You"
* Roy Orbison - (Host, Season 8, Episode 25) "Oh, Pretty Woman", "Only the Lonely", "Crying", "Running Scared", "Hound Dog Man", "Blue Bayou" & "The Eyes of Texas"
* The Oak Ridge Boys - "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight"
* The Spinners
* Dr. Hook
* Prince - "I Wanna Be Your Lover" & "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad ?"

## 1981

* 707 - "Tonite's Your Night"
* Andy Kaufman
* David Bowie
* Freddy Cannon - "Tallahassee Lassie"
* Slim Whitman - "I Remember You"
* The Spinners
* Tony Clifton