Musical Legacy at SUNY Cortland

Class of 1981

The Times

Seniors in the 1981 graduating class arrived at Cortland for their last Fall semester as the world of news was rapidly changing. During the summer, Ted Turner challenged the idea that news could only be reported at fixed times and by traditional networks with the launch of CNN, the first 24-hour news channel.  And former California governor and actor, Ronald Reagan was the Republican nominee for president, and 82 countries boycotted the Moscow Summer Olympics to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.    

On November 4th, 1980, Ronald Reagan won the election, defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter to become the 40th President of the United States.  Reagan’s campaign focused on the famous quote “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”  The country responded with a resounding “NO!”  On election day, Ronald Reagan and his new Vice President, George H.W. Bush handily won the popular and electoral vote. 

By far, the biggest story of the year, left the entire world reeling. On December 8th, 1980, John Lennon was fatally shot at the age of 40 as he and Yoko Ono entered the Dakota, their Manhattan apartment building in NYC.  Lennon was returning home from a recording session when he was ambushed and shot 4 times at close range by Mark David Chapman. Chapman, a Beatles fan was enraged by Lennon’s lifestyle. 

The next day, on December 9th, 1980 Yoko Ono released a statement: “There is no funeral for John. Later in the week we will set the time for a silent vigil to pray for his soul. We invite you to participate from wherever you are at the time. … John loved and prayed for the human race. Please pray the same for him. Love. Yoko and Sean.”  Per Ono’s wishes, on December 14th 1980, millions of people around the world paused for 10 minutes of silence to remember Lennon, including 30,000 people gathered in Liverpool, Lennon’s birthplace and over 225,000 people at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, near the scene of the shooting. During this period, all radio stations in New York City ceased broadcasting. And on the Cortland campus, students held vigils to remember Lennon, WSUC-FM created special music broadcasts, and The Press published articles about John Lennon and the Beatles.

After a depressing Christmas break for students mourning the loss of John Lennon, on February 6th, 1981, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr recorded a tribute to John Lennon titled “All Those Years Ago.” It was the first time that the remaining Beatles appeared together since 1970’s recording of “I Me Mine.”  Originally written for Ringo, George Harrison rewrote the verses to reference Lennon’s “Imagine” singing “you were the one who imagined it all, all those years ago.”

1981 continued to see gun violence and on March 30th, President Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinkley outside of the Washington Hilton, thinking his actions would impress Jodie Foster.  Reagan was seriously wounded with a punctured lung.  In the operating room before surgery, Reagan removed his mask and said to the medical staff “I hope you are all Republicans” causing the staff to laugh.  Miraculously, Reagan was discharged from the hospital in just 12 days and made his first public appearance on April 28th. 

The music of 1980 and 1981 saw a hard shift away from disco and towards electronic drums and synthesizers. Artists like Talking Heads and David Bowie produced electronic post punk, art-pop music. Arena rock was still going strong with artists like Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel releasing more edgy music. The early 1980s brought a major influx of New Romantic and synth-pop music genres hitting the airwaves. Bands like The Human League, Adam And The Ants and The Specials were considered the Second British Invasion.  And then there was early Hip Hop.  Started by the Sugarhill Gang with their song “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979, the term Hip Hop was here to stay.  By 1980, the new musical genre was moving from house parties in the Bronx to huge commercial success. Even New Wave bands like Blondie experimented with “Rapture,” a song that was a combination of new wave, disco and hip hop.

In August of 1981 the music industry was forever and permanently changed going from an audio-only medium to a highly visual art form with the launch of MTV on August 1st, 1981.  MTV management specifically chose the first song “Video Killed The Radio Star” by the Buggles, an ironic, tongue in cheek musical statement to stake their claim in the evolution that truly became an industry-wide revolution. The launch also introduced a new genre of music hosts with VJs or Video Jockeys, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, JJ Jackson and Nina Blackwood. The good thing for some artists in 1980 and 1981 was that the bands coming out of the UK were all camera-ready.  Duran Duran, Adam and the Ants, Joy Division and The Police had the look and the moves made for music videos! 

Notable Events

  • CNN Launched – June 1st, 1980
    • The very first broadcast of CNN at a few minutes past 6pm EST originated from its original headquarters of Atlanta, GA
  • John Lennon Shot – December 8th, 1980 – NYC
    • CBS News – Walter Cronkite reporting on the death of John Lennon

Fans celebrate the life of John Lennon in Central Park, NYC – December 14th, 1980

All Those Years Ago – Recorded by the remaining Beatles, released in 1981

  • President Ronald Reagan Shot – March 30th, 1981
    • President Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinkley outside of the Washington Hilton, thinking his actions would impress Jodie Foster
  • Music of 1980/1981
    • The music of 1980/1981 saw a strong shift to electronic drums and synthesizers. Artists like Talking Heads and David Bowie produced electronic art-pop music, while the UK produced mega video artists like Duran Duran and The Police . And then there was MTV which forever changed the music industry. 

MTV Launches – August 1st, 1981 – First song: “Video Killed The Radio Star” The Buggles

Graduating Class of 1981

CONCERTS THAT CAME TO CORTLAND 1980/1981

Todd Hobin Band – Corey Union Steps – September 1st, 1980

  • The Todd Hobin Band played on campus more often than most artists.  Formed in Syracuse in 1974, The Todd Hobin Band gained popularity by playing college campuses across upstate New York. Still involved in music, he has been a singer, songwriter, producer, studio musician as well as a professor and lecturer on the music business. 
  • Todd Hobin Band – “New York Country Song”

Tom Chapin – SAB CCC @ Corey Function Room – February 27th, 1981

  • Younger brother of Harry Chapin, Tom Chapin played at Cortland in 1981 covering some of his brother’s songs including “Circle.”  He would lose his brother Harry just 5 months after this concert in a fatal car accident on the Long Island Expressway.  Tom is still continuing his brother’s legacy by performing and recording as well his involvement in many charitable endeavors like WhyHunger, started by Harry.
    • Tom Chapin – “Hey Momma”

The Waverly Consort – LYCEUM in Dowd – March 19th, 1981

  • The Waverly Consort was an ensemble of musicians and singers devoted to the performance of early music from the Medieval and Renaissance eras.  The ensemble generally performed with 13 players and was founded in 1964 by Michael Jaffee and Kay Jaffee. Michael Jaffee died in 2019.
  • The Waverly Consort – “Ecco La Primavera”

Orleans – Spring Picnic – Neubig Hall – May 2nd, 1981

  • Formed in Woodstock, NY in 1972, Orleans found a huge following by playing colleges and small clubs in the Northeastern United States. Fronted by singer/songwriter John Hall, lead singer Larry Hoppen, and bass player Lance Hoppen, the band had a string of hits in the 1970s with “Still The One” and “Dance With Me” making them a favorite on college campuses. By the time Orleans headlined Cortland’s Spring Picnic in 1981, John Hall left due to musical direction disagreements. He eventually left music and was elected to the House of Representatives representing upstate New York.  
  • Orleans – “Still The One”