Monday, December 31, 2007

Johnny Burnette Voice Your Choice

Voice Your Choice returns to Treasure Island Oldies for 2008 with Johnny Burnette. He was born December 29, 1932 and sadly died at the young age of 30 in a boating accident on Clear Lake in California on August 1, 1964. Johnny, along with his brother Dorsey Burnette and Paul Burlison formed the Johnny Burnette Rock 'N Roll Trio from 1953-57. Johnny and Dorsey recorded Green Grass Of Texas as The Texans. The song peaked at 100 on the Billboard chart on March 27, 1961.

As a solo performer, Johnny had three major hits, two of which are available this week for your votes on Voice Your Choice: Dreamin' and You're Sixteen. Which song do you prefer? Come to the Voice Your Choice page and cast your vote. We'll play the winning song in Hour 3 of the first live show of 2008, January 6.

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Treasure Island Oldies Special Shows

As we get closer to New Year's Eve and the finalizing of your entertainment, please include some of our specials into your plans.


Here's the list of Specials:
The Top 50 of the 50s
Instrumental Gems Wordless Wonders
Story Songs
40th Anniversary of the Release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

You can also enjoy our December 16 All Christmas Songs show as well as the 11th Annual Christmas Special, which aired live December 23rd

Go to our Listen page at Treasure Island Oldies. Select any of the shows.

Enjoy!
Michael

P.S. While at the website, be sure to go to the Schedules page for the 2008 Calendar of Specials throughout the year.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Dan Fogelberg Dead At Age 56

The leader of the band is gone.

Easy-rocking singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, known for such '70s and '80s hits as "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne" died Sunday at his home in Maine, following a battle with prostate cancer. He was 56.

"Dan left us on December 17th, at 6 a.m. He fought a brave battle with cancer and died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife Jean at his side,Over the course of his career, Fogelberg released more than 20 albums, many of them going gold or platinum. Over the course of his career, Fogelberg released more than 20 albums, many of them going gold or platinum. "His strength, dignity and grace in the face of the daunting challenges of this disease were an inspiration to all who knew him."

Fogelberg was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2004. He underwent hormonal therapy and achieved a partial remission but failed to completely eliminate the disease.

Dan Fogelberg was born in Peoria Illinois in 1951.

My thanks to Rick in Madison, Wisconsin for passing on this sad news to me.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

For Beatles and Led Zeppelin Fans

My friend Matt sent me a link to this intriguing Beatles tribute band from Australia, The Beatnix. They do a "Beatles"-type arrangement of Led Zeppelin's Stairway To Heaven.

Check this out!

Michael

P.S. Thanks Matt!

White Christmas - Elvis At Graceland

As we get even closer to Christmas and our 11th Annual Treasure Island Oldies Christmas Special live this Sunday, December 23rd, here is some rare footage of Elvis Presley and his family in some home videos shot at Graceland with Elvis' version of the classic White Christmas.

Enjoy!

Michael

Monday, December 17, 2007

The Chipmunks - Song Of The Week

David Seville was born Ross Bagdasarian on January 29, 1919 in Fresno, California. He became an actor and appeared in several movies including Stalag 17, Viva Zapata and Rear Window. He also wrote Come On-a My House, a song made popular by Rosemary Clooney.

He scored his own novelty hit in 1958 with Witch Doctor, which stayed at the Number One spot for three weeks and also became a Gold Record. He then created The Chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, named after three executives at Liberty Records, the label David Seville recorded with, Alvin Bennett, Simon Waronker and Theodore Keep.

On December 1, 1958 The Chipmunk Song debuted on the Billboard chart and went straight to Number one for an entire month and went Gold. It's been re-released over the years by itself and on many Christmas compilation albums and has become an all-time Christmas Classic,

The Chipmunks and The Chipmunk Song is our Song of the Week.

Enjoy!
Michael

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Ike Turner Dead at 76

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Ike Turner, best remembered for his successful musical partnership and violently abusive marriage to singer Tina Turner, has died at home in California, his manager said Wednesday. He was 76.

Turner, credited with writing what is often described as the first Rock and Roll record, 1951's "Rocket 88," died peacefully at his home in San Marcos, manager Scott Hanover confirmed to AFP.

"He passed away this morning," Hanover, of Thrill Entertainment Group, said from his office in Florida.

Tina Turner's management company later issued a brief statement on her ex-husband, who subjected her to years of spousal abuse before the couple divorced in 1978.

"Tina is aware that Ike passed away earlier today," her representative told celebrity website TMZ. "She has not had any contact with him in 35 years. No further comment will be made."

Ike Turner's musical career had its origins in the late 1930s, where as a child growing up in Mississippi he was taught piano by the legendary blues man Pinetop Perkins.

After forming his band, The Kings of Rhythm, in the late 1940s, Turner settled in St Louis, Missouri, where he worked as a scout for labels including Sun Records, helping to sign talent such as Howlin' Wolf and Elmore James.

But it was a young teenage singer from Nutbush, Tennessee -- Anna Mae Bullock -- who was to become the most influential figure in Turner's career.

Bullock impressed Turner with what was to become her trademark raspy voice, and quickly earned a place as a backing singer to The Kings of Rhythm.

In 1960 Bullock -- who was pregnant with Ike's child -- was asked to record the lead vocal on "A Fool in Love." The song became a massive hit.

Shortly afterwards Bullock changed her name to Tina Turner and the couple's band became "The Ike and Tina Turner Revue."

The duo were married in Mexico in 1962 and over the course of the next decade collaborated in a string of hits including the ground-breaking "River Deep, Mountain High," produced by Phil Spector, and "Nutbush City Limits."

However, the couple's marriage was tempestuous. In her 1986 autobiography, Tina Turner accused Ike of violent abuse spanning several years.

Ike Turner denied the allegations but later acknowledged in a 2001 book: "Sure, I've slapped Tina. There have been times when I punched her to the ground without thinking. But I never beat her."

Tina Turner left her husband after a violent altercation in Dallas, Texas, in 1976 and the couple were finally divorced in 1978.

The divorce settlement has become one of the most notorious in music history -- Ike keeping every asset earned by the couple during their marriage.

The Turners' stormy marriage was the subject of the 1993 Hollywood film "What's Love Got to Do With It?" which earned Laurence Fishburne an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Turner.

For years afterwards the music legend maintained that the film's unflinching portrayal of him was wildly inaccurate.

"I've done a lot of wrong things," Turner once told an interviewer when asked about the film. "All I can do is apologize to the people that I may have done wrong. But I'm not the dude that you see in that movie. Nowhere close."

Turner struggled to rediscover his magic touch in the 1980s, when drug and alcohol addictions led to brushes with the law which finally resulted in a lengthy stint in jail on drug-related charges.

The musician was still behind bars and unable to attend his induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991, which was accepted on his behalf by Tina.

Following his 1993 release from prison Turner began to rebuild his career, and won a Grammy this year with blues album "Risin' With the Blues."

Bob And Earl's Bob Relf Dead at Age 70

Bob Relf, one half of Bob And Earl, famous for their hit song Harlem Shuffle, has died at age 70. Here is an obituary written by Jim Dawson.

BOB RELF (1937 - 2007)

Bob Relf passed away on Wednesday, November 21st, at the home he shared with his mother in Bakersfield, California. He was aged 70.

Bob had been ill for several years and had received loving care from his mother Idabelle Craft who is 89 years of age. Her remarkable strength comes from her strong faith.

ROBERT NELSON RELF was born in Los Angeles on January 10th, 1937. He is best known for his hits with Earl Nelson as Bob & Earl (most notably "Harlem Shuffle" which was covered by many including The Rolling Stones) but he was also a gifted writer and a staff producer for Randy Wood's Mirwood label, headed by A&R chief Fred Smith. In their attempts to emulate the Motown sound, they unwittingly created their own Mirwood sound which was enhanced by the dramatic arrangements of James Carmichael.

Relf's solo career wasn't very successful but he was highly regarded by soul fans who treasure his recordings - particularly "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" which is one of the most popular 'northern soul' soul hits of all time.

He used the pseudonym 'Bobby Garrett' for two Mirwood singles in 1966. The catchy "I Can't Get Away" became a 'northern soul' favourite in the UK and was used to advertise Kentucky Fried Chicken on national TV. Also popular with 'northern soul' fans is "My Little Girl" which was the flip side of the neglected ballad "Big
Brother".

"Blowing My Mind To Pieces" was recorded in 1968 at Ray Charles' RPM studios in Los Angeles. Relf wrote the song (without credit) which was issued on Trans-American on the flip side of "Girl You're My Kind Of Wonderful". "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" became so popular that it was reissued - and bootlegged - in 1973 to satisfy the huge demand.

A 'new' version of the song was recorded in 1975 by an unknown impostor masquerading as 'Bob Relf'. The man behind the bizarre scam was Simon Soussan, an infamous bootlegger turned producer. The original version is available on dozens of compilations and has been featured on videos, DVDs and TV broadcasts.

In the early '70s Relf worked with Barry White who was then on the verge of major stardom. As youngsters they had sung in groups together and White had played piano on "Harlem Shuffle" back in 1963. Relf wrote and produced for White and for several of his acts including Love Unlimited, Gloria Scott and White Heat. One of Relf's finest songs, the haunting ballad "Bring Back My Yesterday", was recorded by Barry White in 1973 on his ground-breaking album I've Got So Much To Give.

Millbrand acquired publishing and master rights to "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" in 2004 and took actions to recover income from previous unauthorized uses. Just before Relf passed away, Millbrand MD Paul Mooney confirmed that "Blowing My Mind To Pieces" is scheduled for its first legal reissue to tie in with a new movie which features the song.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Bob Keane Book Now Available

I had a very enjoyable conversation on Treasure Island Oldies this past Sunday, December 9th with Bob Keane, the man behind the discovery and development of such major recording artists as Sam Cooke, Ritchie Valens, Johnny Crawford, Bobby Fuller Four, Barry White, Frank Zappa, and others. If you missed this interesting and informative interview, you can listen to it on the Archive. Select the Sunday, December 9th show in Real Media.

During our conversation he informed me that he has written a book on his life in music. His book, The Oracle Of Del-Fi is now available for purchase through Bob's website. Here is the link to his website Del-Fi. Just a note for you to be aware of: Use Internet Explorer to visit Bob's site, as Firefox did not seem to work for me.

And if you'd like to buy a copy of the CD, The Kindred Soul of Danny Wagner and Barry White containing the very moving song, My Buddy, here's a link to Rhino Records
.

My thanks again to Bob Keane for being my guest on Treasure Island Oldies.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Voice Your Choice - Resumes January 2008

As we get closer to Christmas, we are holding off on our weekly Voice Your Choice Feature. Next week on the show it will be an all-Christmas and Holiday songs show, followed on Sunday, December 23rd with our Annual Christmas Special.

I thank you for your participation in the voting for your favourite song every week and I look forward the return of Voice Your Choice in 2008.

Michael

Lindsay Lights - A Major Christmas Lights Display

I love decorating the outside of our home with Christmas lights and decorations. But nothing I could put up would ever compete with the annual display put on by the Lindsay family north of Toronto, Ontario. The family has been dazzling neighbours and visitors alike every year with a different display since 2002. All all donations have been distributed to local charities. This display is from last Christmas 2006.

I know you're going to have your jaw hang down when you see how they have created this amazing display that is fantastically co-ordinated with the music.

Enjoy this!

Michael

Perry Como - Christmas Song of the Week

As we get closer to Christmas, our weekly Song of the Week music clips will reflect the music of the season. This week I am pleased to present to you one of the all-time favourite singers, Perry Como. This clip is from his popular weekly TV show and his performance of It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas.

Enjoy!

Michael

Friday, December 07, 2007

Bob Keane - Guest On Treasure Island Oldies

I am excited to let you know that on Treasure Island Oldies this coming Sunday, December 9, I will have a special guest on the show. Bob Keane, the founder of several record labels and who discovered and developed major talent such as Sam Cooke, Ritchie Valens, Little Caesar And The Romans, Bobby Fuller Four, Johnny Crawford, and others, will join me for an interesting and fascinating conversation on his remarkable career.

Bob was owner and president of Del-Fi Records and a driving force behind the early rise of rock and roll. He also launched the career of Sam Cooke with his debut hit song You Send Me. He also is responsible for the music career of TV teen star Johnny Crawford, who became popular as a result of The Rifleman, starring Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain. Johnny Crawford played his son Mark.

We'll also talk about a brand new release of a four-song mini-album, The Kindred Souls Of Barry White and Danny Wagner. The songs on this release were recorded back in 1968 for Liberty Records, and the first time black and white artists were paired as a duet on record. Bob discovered Barry White who became a producer for Bob's Bronco label. The song we'll feature is called My Buddy, a very timely song written and published in 1922, that tells the story of the anguish of losing a loved one through war. There are at lease 40 recorded versions of this song, but you'll be both impressed and moved when you hear it performed by Barry White and the Irish tenor voice of Danny Wagner.

Be sure to listen to Treasure Island Oldies show this Sunday, December 9th for what promises to be a fascinating and very interesting interview with Bob Keane. If you aren't able to listen to the live show, it'll be available as always on the archive at our Listen page.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Andy Kim - Happy Birthday

I wanted to pass on my very best wishes to my friend Andy Kim who is celebrating his 61st birthday today, December 5, 2007. I hope you have a great day, Andy. If you'd like to pass on your birthday wishes to him, you can send an email to andy@andykimmusic.com and be sure to visit his website www.andykimmusic.com

Here's a clip of Andy performing one of his big hits, Be My Baby.

Enjoy and Happy Birthday Andy!


Monday, December 03, 2007

Bobby Vinton - Voice Your Choice

Bobby Vinton was born Stanley Robert Vinton on April 16, 1935 in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He became involved with music at an early age, having been influenced by his bandleader father. He started his own band while in high school and toured as the leader of the backing band for the Dick Clark Caravan Of Stars in 1960.

His singing career got off to a shaky start after signing with Epic Records. His first releases went nowhere and was very close to being dropped from the label when he recorded a song written by Paul Evans (see this week's Song of the Week on the Blog). That song was Roses Are Red (My Love), and the rest, as they say, was history.

He charted 47 times on Billboard including twelve Top Ten hits and three Gold Records, an amazing feat for any recording artist. And this week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights two of those big hits: Blue Velvet and Blue On Blue.

Which of these colourful songs do you prefer? Come to the Voice Your Choice page and cast your vote. The song with the most votes will get played in Hour 3 of next week's show

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Paul Evans - Song Of The Week

What a great way to start of the Christmas and Holiday Season than with a fun Christmas song by my good friend Paul Evans, a terrifically talented songwriter and very successful recording artist. Paul scored such hits as Seven Little Girls (Sitting In The Back Seat), Midnight Special and Happy Go Lucky Me, among others.

In 2006, Paul introduced a fun and cute Christmas song, Santa's Stuck Up In The Chimney, and it's our Song of the Week.

Enjoy!
Michael