New ‘Midnight Special’ YouTube Channel Resurrects Iconic ’70s Performances Of David Bowie, Tina Turner, Elton John And Many Others

The Midnight Special, the once hugely popular music program that featured such now legendary performers of the 1970s and early ’80s as David Bowie, Tina Turner, Elton John and too many others to list, is now available to watch on YouTube.

Producer Burt Sugarman announced today’s launch of the Midnight Special YouTube channel, noting that the channel will make available performances that have not been seen in nearly 50 years (at least officially – bootleg copies have circulated for years; some performances from the show were previously available on DVD).

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“The Midnight Special was a groundbreaking and revolutionary show that pushed the boundaries of what was possible on television as not one broadcaster had programming available after 1:00 AM back then,” said Sugarman, the show’s creator. “I insisted on live performances in front of an audience, there was no lip syncing. I’m thrilled that it will be available for all fans, as well as a new generation of viewers who may not be familiar with the show. Audiences can enjoy hours of classic performances and interviews from the biggest stars of that era.”

In addition to Bowie, Turner and John, the performers showcased on the late-night music variety series included Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, KISS, The Beach Boys, The Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash, and Loretta Lynn, as well as comedians Steve Martin, Billy Crystal, Richard Pryor and George Carlin. The Midnight Special ran from 1972 to 1981.

The original pilot episode and dozens of performances, including Bowie, Turner, Linda Ronstadt, Fleetwood Mac, Rod Stewart and more, are already available to stream today.

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