Remembrance Day - Veterans Day Tribute

You will recall that Shawn Hlookoff was a guest in the studio on two occasions. The first time was to talk about and play some songs from his debut album. The second time he visited he performed live in the studio. That was a very memorable moment on the show. I first became aware of Shawn via a news story on the evening news and then met him through my friend John Graham. It was after that meeting that I invited him top the show. The news story was about a song and video Shawn wrote and produced. That song is Soldier, a tribute to soldiers in the past, present and the future. And no matter what one's views of war are, one should always respect the soldiers, the men and women, who risk their lives on behalf of their country.

In recognition of Remembrance Day in Canada, November 11th, and Veterans Day coming up in the United States, I am pleased to present to you, Shawn Hlookoff and Soldier.

Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies

November 8th, 2009 to November 14th, 2009

What a blast we had again on the show this week! You know that even though I've been hosting this show since 1997, I still love bringing Treasure Island Oldies to you each and every week. And your feedback continues to inspire me and keep me highly motivated. So if you'd ever like to make a comment about the show, the specials, features, or make a request, I'd love to hear from you. Please send any and all comments to michael@treasureislandoldies.com.

It's great to have the Chat Room working so well again and both the regular Nuts in the Hut as well as first time visitors have commented that it is great to be back up and running again. I know I mention it on the show and here in the weekly update, but you really should try adding the Chat Room to your listening experience of the show. As visitors become regulars, the entire group become friends. And who doesn't like to visit with friends! The topics are varied, and not just about music or the song playing at the moment. It's a really enjoyable way to spend time together. Check it our for yourself when we are live, every Sunday from 6 to 10 pm Pacific time. Click Chat on the Menu and carefully follow the instructions. See you soon.

Next week on the show it's The Long Ones Special, featuring songs that were longer than your typical 2 and a half to three minutes. You'll hear the original hit versions that reached the Billboard charts, but just happened to be long. This will be only the second time since the show began that this theme has been used for a special. I am sure you'll enjoy it.

I keep hearing from various folks that have connected together on Facebook about just how much fun they are having. Keep up with what's going on with the show and yours truly. Follow me by clicking the facebook logo on the left hand side of any page of the website.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog features Booker T & The MGs in a great live performance clip of Time Is Tight. It's our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

Voice Your Choice spotlights The Strangeloves, a great songwriting and production team that wrote and produced My Boyfriend's Back by The Angels as well as The McCoys and Hang On Sloopy. They recorded several singles and this week we feature two of them for your votes: I Want Candy and Night Time. Click the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website to cast your vote. The winning song will be played in Hour 3 of next week's show.

If your alma mater is planning a high school, college or university reunion, let me know and I'll be pleased to let the listeners know about it. Today with people scattered all around the globe, it is sometimes difficult to reach them. I'll do my best to help publicize and promote your Reunion. Send the details to michael@treasureislandoldies.com.

I would like to invite you to add your photo to the Treasure Island Oldies Listener Gallery. Many folks have already submitted their photos but there's still room for yours. Send your picture, name and city to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. I look forward to receiving  it from you.

Remember this is your show as much as mine. If you'd like to hear a special song that will bring back a flood of memories for you, I'd love to play it for you. You can send an email; Click the Requests button on any page of the website, or give me a call and record your message on our 24/7 Treasure Island Oldies Listener Request Line at 206-203-4678. I'd love to hear from you.

Have a great week.

Bye for now.

Michael

The Strangeloves - Voice Your Choice

The Strangeloves, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richie Gottehrer, were a cool team of songwriters and producers in New York City's Brill Building. They wrote and produced My Boyfriend's Back by The Angels as well as Hang On Sloopy for The McCoys. They also had a few hits of their own: I Want Candy, Cara-Lin, Night Time and Hand Jive, all on Bang Records, the home of the early classic Neil Diamond hits and The McCoys. Later, Richie Gottehrer became a partner in the innovative and very succssful Sire Records, owned by Seymour Stein. They signed Talking Heads, Focus, The Ramones, and others. Gottehrer went on to produce the first two GoGos albums as well as the debut for Blondie. Very talented guy indeed!

This week on Voice Your Choice we spotlight The Strangeloves. Wanna hear either I Want Candy or Night Time" Come to the Voice Your Choice page and click on the song of your choice. The winner will be played in Hour 3 on this week's show.

Booker T & The MGs - Song Of The Week

Here is a great video clip of Booker T & The MGs in a live performance of Time Is Tight. There is a bit of video distortion at a certain point, but don't let it throw you off watching the entire clip. This clip is rare in that it features the late Al Jackson on drums. I know you're really dig Time Is Tight, it's our Song of the Week.

Michael 

Loggins & Messia with Michael Godin and Eddy Fisher

Here is the photo taken backstage after the amazing concert last Friday night by Loggins & Messina at the Red Robinson Show Theatre. It was wonderful to meet Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina and to have a chat with them. In the photo from left to right: Kenny Loggins, Eddy Fisher, our Webmaster extraordinaire, Jim Messina and yours truly. What a great evening of fantastic music and great memories. I am pleased to share this photo with you.

Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies

November 1st, 2009 to 7th, 2009

I'd like to thank you again for the many comments that came in leading up to Halloween about our 13th Annual Halloween Spooktacular. I'm glad you noticed that there were several songs never before played on the Halloween special; and I already have more songs planned for next year.

We sure had a lot of fun once again this week on the show and the Chat Room was humming as usual. Really, if you've never had a chance to experience the added element of the chat room with the show itself, I guarantee you will have fun. There is always a great crowd, most of whom have been regulars for varying lengths of time, some for months, while others have been regulars for many years. Even first time visitors are warmly welcomed and made to feel right at home. To join us during the live show Sundays, click Chat on the Menu and follow the instructions. You too can become one of the Nuts in the Hut.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Sunny in Berkeley, Illinois, Dana in New Jersey, and Nancy in Vancouver. It was great to play Birthday by The Beatles to help you celebrate. If you've got a birthday coming up or if someone close to you has their special day approaching, please let me know. Send the details to michael@treasureislandoldies.com.

Social networking sites have definitely got a foothold on many people these days and Facebook is one of the leading places to connect with new and old friends. I'm pleased to have had so many people get in touch and I invite you to participate as well. Follow me by clicking the Facebook link on any page of the website.

I mentioned on the show that last Friday night our Webmaster, Eddy Fisher, and I went to see Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina in concert at the Red Robinson Show Theatre at the Boulevard Casino in the Vancouver suburb of Coquitlam. I was flabbergasted when Red Robinson came on stage to introduce them and announced that a VIP was in the audience. He continued saying that Michael Godin, when he was the Vice-President of A&M Records, discovered and signed Bryan Adams. And he then suggested to the audience that they give a big round of applause. I was so surprised. Well right after that Loggins & Messina came onto the stage, along with their six piece band of amazingly talented musicians. It was such a treat to see musicians play on stage together and actually really enjoy playing together and entertaining the audience. There was no sampling, pyrotechnics or special sets. Just good lighting, amazing sound and incredible musicianship. I have seen many, many concerts throughout my career, but this was one of the best shows I have ever seen! We were also pleased to be invited backstage after the show to meet up with Kenny and Jim and had a nice chat. A neat aspect of the conversation Eddy and I had with them was when Eddy reminded Kenny and Jim that he was one of the people involved with their very first concert, which took place in Montreal. It was a wonderful memory for them both and fun for Eddy too to share that memory with them. We were pleased to get our picture taken with them and it will be posted to both the website as well as the Blog as soon as it's available. And if you are a fan of Loggins & Messina, be sure to catch them while they are touring. They'll be in Maui at the Maui Arts & Cultural Centre on November 14 and next night in Honolulu at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. For full details check out their website: logginsandmessina.com.

In the meantime, I am pleased to feature Loggins & Messina over at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog in a live performance of the classic Danny's Song, later recorded and a big hit for Anne Murray. Enjoy Danny's Song, it's our Song of the Week.

Voice Your Choice spotlights Miss Dynamite, Brenda Lee with two of her many hit songs: Dum Dum and Emotions. Which song would you like to hear? Cast you vote for your favourite song. Click the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website and then make your selection. The winning song will be played in Hour 3 of next week's show.

If your alma mater is planning a high school, college or university reunion, let me know and I'll be pleased to let the listeners know about it. Today with people scattered all around the globe, it is sometimes difficult to reach them. I'll do my best to help publicize and promote your Reunion. Send the details to michael@treasureislandoldies.com.

I would like to invite you to add your photo to the Treasure Island Oldies Listener Gallery. Many folks have already submitted their photos but there's still room for yours. Send your picture, name and city to michael@treasureislandoldies.com. I look forward to receiving  it from you.

Remember this is your show as much as mine. If you'd like to hear a special song that will bring back a flood of memories for you, I'd love to play it for you. You can send an email; click the Requests button on any page of the website, or give me a call and record your message on our 24/7 Treasure Island Oldies Listener Request Line at 206-203-4678. I'd love to hear from you.

Have a great week.

Bye for now.

Michael

Brenda Lee - Voice Your Choice

Brenda Lee, "Little Miss Dynamite", began her professional singing career at age six. She was born Brenda Mae Tarpley on December 11, 1944 in Lithonia, Georgia. When she was just twelve years old, she signed with Decca Records in 1956. Between 1957 and 1973, she had 55 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. She became the #1 female singer of the 1960s.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice presents Brenda Lee with two of her many well known hit songs for your votes: Dum Dum and Emotions.

Cast your vote for the song you'd like to hear by making your selection at the Voice Your Choice page. We'll play the winner in Hour 3 of next week's show.

Loggins & Messina - Song of the Week

On the show this week and also in the weekly update, I said that I saw Loggins and Messina last Friday night and what an amazing show they put on. So I thought I'd bring you back a number of years to a live performance of Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina performing Danny's Song. It's our Song of the Week.

Enjoy!

Michael

This Week On Treasure Island Oldies

October 25th to October 31st, 2009

Happy Halloween! We sure had a scary time on the 13th Annual Halloween Spooktacular with lots of listeners around the world and many friends in the Chat Room, errr, I mean the Crypt. LOL For many listeners it is their favourite special of the year and others commented that between the Halloween and Christmas specials, it's difficult to decide which one they like best. It is always a real treat and a bit of a trick too organizing this special with all the great Halloween-themed songs, the sound effects, and audio clips. And this year I am pleased to have been able to include some songs that were never played on the show before. For example, I played The Diamonds and Batman, Wolfman, Frankenstein Or Dracula, Walkin' Through A Cemetery by Claudine Clark (she sang Party Lights), Teenage Monster by Jay Matty, Zombie Walk by The Magics, and more. For the complete list of songs played on the Halloween Spooktacular, click Listen on the Menu and then Playlist. My thanks to all the Nuts in the Hut who wore their virtual costumes and completely changed their names just for the occasion. It was fun trying to figure out who was who. LOL One of my favourite "characters" was Alucard, which is backwards for Dracula, very clever! The Crypt will be open all week until just after Halloween on October 31st, so you have plenty of time to enjoy the special if you were unable to hear the live, I mean, "dead" show. :-) The Archive is on the Listen page, as well as the in the Crypt.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to California Barb, celebrating a birthday this week. Because of the Halloween Spooktacular, I was unable to play our official birthday song by The Beatles, Birthday. However, I'll be sure to play it on next week's show. And if you or someone special top you has a birthday coming up, be sure to let me know. Send the details to michael@treasureislandodlies.com.

Facebook continues to impress me with its ability to connect people from all over. This week I connected with Fay Greenwood and Matt Meaney in Langley, British Columbia, Rosemarie Edwards in the b, who is a huge fan of singer Eddie Rambeau (Concrete And Clay, My Name Is Mud) and she does a lot to promote him online, Karine Penney and Andrew Gize, my nephew and his wife who live in Gatineau, Quebec. It was also nice to connect with Kent Patel in Calgary, Alberta. And many thanks to everyone who wrote birthday wishes on my Facebook wall. It was surprising to receive so many good wishes. Follow me on Facebook; click the facebook logo on the left side of any page of the website.

Hello to Samantha K who commented on the posting at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog regarding the death of Soupy Sales. I appreciate having comments posted, so don't be shy to leave your comments on the Blog regarding a posting of interest to you.

To keep you in the mood for Halloween, there are two songs over at the Treasure Island Oldies Blog for you to enjoy. First up is Screaming Jay Hawkins with the classic performance of I Put A Spell On You. Then it's the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show and the Time Warp. Have fun and enjoy!

Voice Your Choice returns for next week's show with Ricky Nelson and two excellent songs, but you only get to hear one (unless there's a tie). Would you like to hear A Wonder Like You or It's Up To You? Cast your vote for the song you prefer. Click the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website and make your selection. The winning song will be played in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Our Listener Galley still has room for more photos of listeners. And I am pleased that another picture was sent to me this week, this time from Andy Desilets in Ottawa, Ontario. It would be great to receive your picture as well. Send your picture, name, city and country to michael@treasureislandoldies.com I look forward to including you in the Listener Gallery.

Have a great week, and once again, H A P P Y  H A L L O W E E N !

Michael

Ricky Nelson - Voice Your Choice

Ricky Nelson was born into show business. Born Eric Hilliard Nelson on May 8, 1940 in Teaneck, New Jersey, both his mom and dad were stars. His dad, Ozzie Nelson, was a bandleader and his mom Harriet Hilliard was a vocalist. Together they had a radio show in 1949 and then made the switch over to television from 1952 to 1966 with The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet. Ricky and his brother David were regulars on the show.

Ricky Nelson was one of the first teen idols of the rock and roll era and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He appeared on the Billboard chart a total of 54 times between 1957 and 1973, and scored 9 Gold Records and an astounding 18 Top Ten Hits.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, we feature Ricky Nelson on Voice Your Choice with two of his hit songs from his early '60s period: A Wonder Like You and It's Up To You. Cast your vote for the song you'd like to hear at the Voice Your Choice page. We'll play the winning song in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Happy Halloween - I Put A Spell On You

Here is a real classic! Screaming Jay Hawkins with a song that was originally intended to be a love song. That is until he got hold of it to record. I know you'll have fun watching I Put A Spell On You.

Happy Halloween!

Count Michael

Halloween Song of the Week

It's one of the greatest Halloween movies of all time, the cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show starred Tim Curry. Here is a clip from the movie with the perennial favourite Time Warp.

Enjoy, if you dare!

Count Michael

Comedian Soupy Sales Dead At Age 83

(CNN) -- Soupy Sales, a comedian from the golden era of television, died Thursday. He was 83.
The funny man seen many times on popular game shows died at a New York hospice, said Paul Dver, Sales' longtime friend and manager.
"We have lost a comedy American icon," Dver said. "I feel the personal loss, and I also feel the magic that he had around him being gone. That's a much more severe loss than a loss of a friend."
Sales was known for his long-running children's show "Lunch With Soupy Sales," which started in 1953 and began his trademark slapstick pie-throwing antics. The comedy show featured skits that culminated in Sales getting walloped with pies in the face.
"Soupy was the last of the great TV comics when you talk about Ernie Kovacs, Red Skelton, right down to Howdy Doody," Dver said. "But it was bigger than that, because he used a children's format aimed at the kids and then he would forget he was doing a kids' show and do a wild, unrehearsed, wacky improv for a half-hour every day for 15 years."
He could also inflame the authorities. One New Year's Day, upset at being asked to work, he asked his youthful audience to send him those "green pieces of paper" from their parents' wallets. Though he didn't receive much -- he told The New York Times he received only a few dollars -- he was suspended for a week for the prank.
Later in his career, he was a regular on TV game shows, such as "Hollywood Squares," "To Tell the Truth" and "What's My Line?"

Sales recently fell backstage at a local Emmy awards show in New York and developed serious ailments after that, Dver said.

13th Annual Halloween Spooktacular on Treasure Island Oldies

Just a reminder to join me tonight on Treasure Island Oldies from 6 to 10 pm Pacific, 9 pm to 1 am Eastern for the 13th Annual Halloween Spooktacular.

Push here to enter the Crypt, if you dare!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See you later.
Count Michael

Vic Mizzy - Addams Family Theme Composer Has Died

By RAQUEL MARIA DILLON

The Associated Press
Tuesday, October 20, 2009; 1:04 AM


LOS ANGELES -- Vic Mizzy, a songwriter who composed the catchy themes for the 1960s sit-coms "The Addams Family" and "Green Acres," has died. He was 93.
Mizzy died Saturday at his home in Bel Air, his manager Jonathan Wolfson said. He said he didn't know the cause of death.
He wrote songs that were recorded by Dean Martin, Doris Day, Perry Como and Billie Holiday in the '40s and '50s. His hits included "Pretty Kitty Blue Eyes," "My Dreams are Getting Better All the Time," and "With a Hey and a Hi and a Ho-Ho-Ho."
But his most famous work was the theme to "The Addams Family," a tune accented by finger snaps and opening with the cleverly quirky lyrics: "They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're altogether ooky: the Addams family."
Mizzy sang the song himself and overdubbed it three times to give the impression of multiple vocalists. He also directed the title sequence where he asked actors who played members of the Addams family to snap their fingers in a bored way.
The enduring tune is often heard during sports game to rally the home team.
"He was smart enough to demand to own the song, which was unheard of at the time. So any time you go to a Lakers game and they play that song, he made money," Wolfson said.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Mizzy learned to play the piano as a child. In his teens, he teamed up with Irving Taylor and began writing songs and sketches for variety shows. They won a pair of radio contests and toured the East Coast vaudeville circuit. While served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, the pair wrote several hit songs, including "Three Little Sisters" and "Take It Easy."
Mizzy later composed and wrote songs for television and film, most recently a song for "Spiderman 2" which ended up on the DVD version of the movie.


He is survived by a brother, daughter and two grandchildren.