Call in this weekend to ask famous songwriter Al Kooper anything

Here’s a two-part rock trivia question. Who wrote this opening line; “Who wants to buy this diamond ring?” and who had the hit with the song?

The answer to those two questions and lots of other interesting and revealing information will surface tomorrow on John Myers’ radio show on KSVY. But here is a spoiler and a bit of a tease.

Oddly enough, the songwriter was Al Kooper, who was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The song, “This Diamond Ring,” was Kooper’s most successful effort as a songwriter. But his lasting fame comes from another simple twist of fate.

Without going into too much detail, Kooper played the mysterious Hammond organ part on Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone.” He apparently does not like to talk about how that came to be or why he was even in the studio that day. But local radio fans might have a chance to get the skinny tomorrow, when host Myers tries to pry it out of him as he interviews Kooper live on his “Pirate Radio” show on KSVY (91.3 FM) at 1 p.m.

It's somewhat difficult to understand why Kooper was inducted into the hall in the Musical Excellence category. Why is there a Musical Excellence category at all? Isn’t excellence required to get you into the Hall in the first place?

Kooper also played on Jimi Hendrix’s “Electric Ladyland,” was an original member of The Blues Project, left that band to start Blood Sweat and Tears, and played on the legendary “Super Session” album with Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield.

Perhaps because Kooper was not in any one band for too long, wrote songs for others, and produced hits for Lynyrd Skynyrd, the powers that be at the hall moved him from a “performer” into the more wide-reaching and all-encompassing award for musical excellence.

During his show tomorrow, Myers will play music that Kooper is responsible for and chat with local drummer extraordinaire Roy Blumenfeld. Kooper and Blumenfeld were musical mates long ago and were founding members of the Blues Project, the seminal rock fusion band that had a short but influential life in the mid-1960s.

Listeners will be able to call in to ask Blumenfeld and Kooper questions directly. How often can a regular Joe Blow talk with a member or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Joe, your chance is tomorrow, starting at 1 p.m.