Monday, March 30, 2009

Otis Redding - Voice Your Choice

We move from the soul of Joan Osborne and The Funk Brothers to the soul of the legendary Otis Redding. He was born September 9, 1941 in Dawson, Georgia and sadly died in a tragic plane crash at the age of 26 on December 10, 1967 in Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. The plane crash also claimed the lives of all The Bar-Kays except James Alexander, who was not on the plane, and Ben Cauley who survived the crash.

Otis was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio in 1989 and was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights Otis Redding with I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) and That's How Strong My Love Is. Cast your vote. Click Voice Your Choice and make your selection. We'll play the winning song in Hour 3 of next week's show.

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies

This week on Treasure Island Oldies
March 29th to April 4th, 2009

I was so pleased to welcome a couple of first time visitors to the Chat Room. We said hi to bossguy in Los Angeles, California and to gerard in Guaruja, Brazil. It was fun to play an "instant request" for bossguy who wanted to hear Cherry Hill Park by Billy Joe Royal. He was thrilled to have his request played so quickly. I invite you to be part of the extended experience of Treasure Island Oldies - the Chat Room. Click Chat on the Menu and carefully follow the easy instructions. Join us during the live show Sundays from 6 to 10 p.m. Pacific time. You too can become a Nut in the Hut on the Island!

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Tom Locke, in Vancouver, B.C. Tom has a long history with Treasure Island Oldies as writer of the weekly feature Moment In Time. He developed and brought the Sorrells Pickard Gourmet Peanut Butter Pick of the Week feature to the show and also wrote every episode of the Pick. My best birthday wishes also to Rich Howe in Hillside, Illinois. Rich is a long time listener of the show and a regular Nut in the Nut in the Chat Room. Also I'd like to wish my good friend Red Robinson from the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame a very Happy Birthday. It was great to have the chance to get together with him on his special day. If you have an upcoming birthday, send your name, address, city, province or state, postal code and country to birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com You may just even receive a birthday card in the mail!

A big hello to Maureen and Michael in Berkeley, California, who sent a warm and moving email to me. They listen to the show on one of our member radio stations of the Treasure Island Oldies Broadcast Partners Network, The Legend in Indianapolis, Indiana. They said they wanted to let me know how much they appreciate the work that goes into the show, it is always a highlight of their weekend. They felt that what we are doing on the show is quality. Thank you so very much Maureen and Michael. I very much appreciated hearing from you. You can be sure I will play your request on next week's show, How The Time Flies by Jerry Wallace. I'd very much enjoy hearing from you. You'd be surprised by the number of listeners who are in touch at various times throughout the week. It's nice developing a dialogue with a friend. Drop a note to michael@treasureislandoldies.com And just so you know, I am the only one who receives email addressed to me.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog pays tribute to the late and great Uriel Jones of Motown's The Funk Brothers with a clip from the sensational Standing In The Shadows Of Motown feature film. It's Joan Osborne in concert with The Funk Brothers in a most soul stirring and emotional performance of What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted that one could imagine. This is excellent. Enjoy our Song of the Week!

Speaking of soulful, Voice Your Choice features the very soulful Otis Redding with two excellent soul ballads: I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) and That's How Strong My Love Is. Cast your vote for the song you'd like to hear. Click the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website and make your selection. We'll play the winner in Hour 3 of next week's show.

I look forward to you adding your photo to the Listener Gallery and showing the world you're a true Islander. Send your photo, name, city and province or state to michael@treasureislandoldies.com

I am still looking for your input as to whether we should bring back the Listener Map so that everyone could see just how many people in many different countries in the world all enjoy being part of Treasure Island Oldies. Please let me know, send an email to map@treasureislandoldies.com Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.

If you missed the live show, you can enjoy the Archive of March 29, 2009; just click the Listen button on the Menu. Be sure to check out the Playlist to see all the songs we played on the show.

Have a good week.

Michael

Joan Osborne The Funk Brothers - Song of the Week

I was very saddened to hear of the passing away of Uriel Jones, outstanding drummer with The Funk Brothers, the legendary Motown Records session players. Fortunately we are able to enjoy his contribution to our own musical fibre every time we listen to many Motown songs he played on.

He was nicely spotlighted in the documentary feature film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown. One of the outstanding moments in the movie was the interaction between Joan Osborne and the Funk Brothers before the show and then their stellar performance together of the classic What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted. I saw this film at the Vancouver International Film Festival and as Joan Osborne was reaching the end of the song, the entire theatre audience stood up and cheered, continuing on into a standing ovation at the end of the song. To this day, I cannot help but be moved by what to me is one of the all-time best live performances of a artist I have ever seen.

I am sorry I am unable to embed the video directly on the Blog, however, it has been disabled by request. No problem. Just click on the link and enjoy What Becomes of The Broken Hearted by Joan Osborne and The Funk Brothers our Song of the Week. But please, come back after the performance for more of this week's postings.

Cheers
Michael
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StinRUpDh1w

Thursday, March 26, 2009

England Dan Seals - Country Singer Has Died

Sad news for country music fans: Daniel Wayland Seals, the Texas-born, CMA-award-winning singer who piled up 11 No. 1 songs between 1985 and 1990, passed away yesterday after a battle with mantle cell lymphoma. Initially known to pop fans as the "England Dan" half of England Dan and John Ford Coley, who had a No. 2 single in 1976 with the soft-rocking classic "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight," he went on to forge an impressive solo career in Nashville.

Over 16 studio albums, the gentle, bearded crooner in the ten-gallon hat produced some 20 hits, including "Bop," the duet "Meet Me In Montana" with Marie Osmond," "Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold)" and "You Still Move Me." Music clearly runs in the family: Older brother Jim was in Seals & Crofts, and several cousins are well-known country singers and songwriters. Seals' final studio album, Make It Home, was released in 2002. Messages of condolence are being forwarded to his family at dansealsfanpage.com.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies

March 22nd, 2009 to March 28th, 2009

I am so pleased with your responses to our 50 Plus Special, thank you. What a treat to hear some great Lost Treasures that amazingly enough did not get past the Number 50 spot on the Hot 100 Billboard charts. One listeners commented it was fun, educational and entertaining to hear so many great songs from the lower half of the Top 100 chart. Thanks for your requests for this special too. Be sure not to miss it on the Archive; it will be available for the next three weeks.

A big hello to Enrique Ortega in Spain who sent a wonderful note to me in Spanish. Fortunately, I have not forgotten what I studied in college and was able to translate his message: "Greetings from Spain. I keep listening to my favorite oldies show, Treasure Island Oldies, with the best music this 61 year old can remember. Thank you Michael and your team. Big hugs." Enrique I am so glad that you enjoy listening to the show. It's my great pleasure to help rekindle the memories every week.

A reminder to you. If you have a birthday coming up, be sure to let me know. Send your name, birth date, city, and province or state to birthday@treasureislandoldies.com I'll wish you Happy Birthday on the show.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog has a classic clip of The Everly Brothers performing live on the Alma Cogan TV show from 1961. They perform live two of their hits: All I Have To Do Is Dream and Cathy's Clown. I know you will enjoy this rare video clip.

Voice Your Choice spotlights the R&B keyboard player Dave "Baby" Cortez with his two Top Ten hits: The Happy Organ and Rinky Dink. Which song would you like to hear? Cast your vote by clicking the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website and then make your selection. We'll play the winner in Hour 3 of next week's show.

Two more listeners have sent in their photos for the Listener Gallery. Hi to Shirley in Ohio and Renato & Clarice in Brazil. You can see their pictures; just click the Listener Gallery button. I welcome you to send in your photo as well. Send it along with your name, city, province/state and country to michael@treasureislandoldies.com

Would you like to have the Listener Map re-introduced to the website? Send your opinion to map@treasureislandoldies.com I'd like to hear from you with your opinion.

If you missed the live show, you can enjoy the 50 Plus Special Archive of March 22, 2009; just click the Listen button on the Menu. Be sure to check out the Playlist and see all the songs we played on the show.

Have a good week.

Michael

Uriel Jones - Funk Brothers Drummer Has Died

It is with extreme sadness that I pass on this news to you.
Michael
DETROIT (AP) — Uriel Jones, a drummer whose versatile style fueled many classic Motown hits, has died. He was 74.

Sister-in-law Leslie Coleman says Jones died Tuesday at a Detroit-area hospital after complications from a heart attack he suffered last month.

Jones played on tracks by the Temptations, Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and others. He was part of the Funk Brothers, the talented house band on Motown recordings.

Paul Riser, a Motown arranger and musician, says Jones had "a pulse in his playing that nobody else had." But Riser said Jones also could play with finesse and restraint when the song called for it.

He is survived by his wife, June, and three children. A funeral has been scheduled for Tuesday at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.



Thursday, 26 March 2009
Uriel Jones was the last surviving member of the "Motown three", the triumvirate of drummers who put the backbeat to the hundreds of recordings coming out of Hitsville USA in Detroit in the Sixties and early Seventies. He proved a more than able deputy and eventual replacement for the dynamic but troublesome Benny Benjamin, who died in 1969, and alternated with Richard "Pistol" Allen, the drummer favoured by the producers and songwriters Lamont Dozier and Brian and Eddie Holland, who died in 2002.

Jones's muscular drumming drove such classics as "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations in 1966, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967 and its 1970 remake by Diana Ross, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye in 1968 and "For Once in My Life" by Stevie Wonder in the same year. But he could also play in a more laidback style, and excelled on the ballads "The Tracks of My Tears" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles in 1965 and "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" by Jimmy Ruffin in 1966.

Born in Detroit, Jones was a troubled teenager who ended up at Moore School for Boys, an institution which tried to instil some discipline into youngsters. He took up boxing and the trombone but the two didn't quite go together. "I used to love boxing but I had a real problem playing trombone out of the side of my mouth with a bust lip," he recalled. "I thought: this ain't gonna work. That's when I started playing drums."

Like his fellow Motown session-players, Jones was a jazz musician, "a bebop fanatic" and a big admirer of Art Blakey. He entered the Motown orbit via a jam session at the Chit Chat club featuring the band leader Earl Van Dyke. "He came in one day to play organ," " Jones explained. "We clicked. Between Earl and Marvin Gaye, that's how I came into Motown."

A drummer himself, Gaye was notoriously demanding and Jones earned his respect while backing him on tour in 1964. The following year, he played on Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar" and became part of the set-up inside the Snakepit, the studio in the converted garage at 2648 West Grand Boulevard, the original home of Motown in Detroit. "Another thing that inspired me so much was when I first met Benny Benjamin and heard him play," stressed Jones. "It turned my whole thing around, my playing. I tried to clone myself after Benny Benjamin."

This proved very convenient as Benjamin was often late and developed a drug and alcohol dependency. Jones could indeed play like him and hit the drums really hard – his nickname was "possum" – but he could be more subtle and also excelled at the funkier stuff. In fact, he became Norman Whitfield's drummer of choice as the producer began stretching creatively and taking the Temptations into a psychedelic-soul direction on "Cloud Nine" and "I Can't Get Next to You" in the late Sixties.

"He came into the studio one day and said: 'I wanna do something fresh, something different," Jones said about his work with Whitfield. "'Cloud Nine' began as a beat on the cymbal. Norman would have you sit and play that two or three minutes by itself, and he'd tell you to add a certain beat on the foot. Then he turned the whole band down on this tune. He had in mind what he wanted but the tune really materialised once we started playing it. We'd have as many as 12 or 13 guys in there just grooving on the rhythm. We could play and not even look at one another."

In 1965, Jones travelled to the UK with the Motortown Revue, featuring Van Dyke, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, "Little" Stevie Wonder, the Supremes and the Miracles, with Brit Georgie Fame as special guest. The drummer had fond memories of his trip, despite a mishap in Manchester. "We went for a ride in Georgie Fame's car and he nearly killed us," he remembered. "British fans are different from the ones at home because they got more interest in the musicians. Man, we couldn't believe it!"

For many years, the Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jnr. paid his session musicians, known as the Funk Brothers, a weekly wage and resisted giving them credit on the albums. He even fined them if they moonlighted for another Detroit label. Jones recalled a particular session for Wingate which cost the Funk Brothers dear after Gordy's A&R chief Mickey Stevenson confronted them. "He pulled out some pictures of me with my drum cases and the rest of us leaving," Jones explained. "They had detectives watching us, and we had to pay a $300 fine if caught. We couldn't deny the allegations, and paid up without any further conversation."

Worshipped by soul aficionados the world over, players like Jones were left in the lurch when Gordy moved the company lock, stock and barrel from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1972. Thirty years later, the Funk Brothers finally achieved some recognition when the writer turned producer Allan Slutsky and the director Paul Justman made the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown about them.

In 2004, they were awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for collectively taking part in "more No 1s than the Beatles, Elvis Presley, the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones combined." The Funk Brothers finally got top billing, and played memorable concerts in the UK in early 2004, with guest vocalists of the calibre of Billy Preston and Steve Winwood, and the likes of Paul McCartney in attendance.

While Benjamin, Van Dyke, bass-player James Jamerson, percussionist Eddie "Bongo" Brown and guitarist Robert White had died long before Standing in the Shadows of Motown was even conceived, the documentary managed to capture Jones and Allen as well as the pianists Joe Hunter and Johnny Griffith before they passed away. Guitarists Joe Messina and Eddie Willis, percussionist Jack Ashford and bassist Bob Babbitt are now the only surviving Funk Brothers who appeared in the film.

Jones experienced heart problems in recent years, and had been in hospital since suffering a heart attack last month. "I feel blessed to have worked with him," said Babbitt. "As a musician, he was incredible."

Pierre Perrone

Uriel Jones, drummer: born Detroit 13 June 1934; married (three children); died Dearborn, Michigan 24 March 2009.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Dave "Baby" Cortez - Vouice Your Choice

Dave "Baby" Cortez was born David Cortez Clowney on August 13, 1938 in Detroit, Michigan. He was a well known R&B keyboardist and composer who also did a fair amount of studio session work.

While he appeared on the Top 100 chart eight times between 1959 and 1966, he only reached the Top Ten on two occasions. Both songs though ended up becoming classic instrumental hits.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice features Dave "Baby" Cortez with his two Top Ten smashes for your votes: The Happy Organ and Rinky Dink.

Come to the Voice Your Choice page and cast your vote for the song you'd like to hear. We'll play the winner in Hour 3 of next week's show.

Everly Brothers - Song of the Week

Wait till you check out this week's Song of the Week. It's by the Everly Btothers, Don and Phil, in a live appearance on the Alma Cogan television show in 1961. They perform two of their hit songs: All I Have To Do Is Dream and Cathy's Clown. There is no lip syncing or singing live to pre-recorded music tracks here; they play live and their backup musicians play live too. This is a rare clip - enjoy!

Michael

Monday, March 16, 2009

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies

This week on Treasure Island Oldies
March 15th to 21st 2008

We had a great turnout again this week with listeners from all around the world and also lots of folks in the Chat Room. If you have never experienced the Chat Room during the live show, I highly encourage you to try it. The regular Nuts in the Hut are most welcoming and make you feel right at home. Try it for yourself on the next live show. Just click Chat on any page of the website and just follow the easy step-by-step instructions. See you in the Hut.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to Rick Canode in Madison, Wisconsin, and to Joel Drucker in Randolph, New Jersey. Rick, by the way, is a regular contributor to the show with the weekly feature Rick's Rare Rock And Roll Relic. It was great to play Birthday by The Beatles, our official birthday song. If you have a birthday coming up, be sure to let me know. Send your name, birth date, city, and province or state to birthday@treasureislandoldies.com I'll wish you Happy Birthday on the show.

Get set to have your memory banks going at full tilt next week for our first-ever 50 Plus Special. We'll be playing songs that appeared on the lower half of the Billboard chart, from number 50 to 100. You'll be surprised with some of the songs, knowing that they never got higher than number 50 on the chart. I am sure you will enjoy this interesting perspective on the music you know and love.

To get you in the mood for next week's 50 Plus Special, this week the Treasure Island Oldies Blog features The Showmen with General Norman Johnson on lead vocal. The Song of the Week is the classic It Will Stand, a song that appeared twice on the Billboard chart in late 1961 and again in 1964. Both times the song remained in the lower half of the Hot 100. Enjoy this classic!

Voice Your Choice spotlights the pride of New Orleans, Lee Dorsey with two of his well-known hits: Working In A Coal Mine and Ride Your Pony. Cast your vote for the song you'd like to hear on the show next week. Click the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website and make your selection. We'll play the winning song in Hour 3 of next week's show.

We've added more photos of listeners to the Listener Gallery, and I would be pleased to include your photo too. Just send your picture, name, city, and province or state to michael@treasureislandoldies.com

Would you like to have the Listener Map re-introduced to the website? Send your opinion to map@treasureislandoldies.com I'd like to hear from you with your opinion.

If you missed the live show, you can enjoy the Archive of March 15, 2009; just click the Listen button on the Menu. Be sure to check out the Playlist and see all the songs we played on the show.

Have a good week.

Michael

Lee Dorsey - Voice Your Choice

Lee Dorsey was born Irving Lee Dorsey on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1924 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sadly he died at age 61 of emphysema on December 1, 1986. Before he got his start in the music business in the early 1960s, he was a prizefighter in the early '50s and was known as Kid Chocolate. In the eight years between 1961 and 1969, he scored 9 hits on the Billboard chart, including two Top Ten songs.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice features two hits by Lee Dorsey: Working In A Coal Mine and Ride Your Pony. Cast your vote for the song you'd like to hear. Click the Voice Your Choice button on any page of the website and make your selection. We'll play the winner in hour 3 of next week's show.

The Showmen - Song of the Week

The Showmen, perhaps the group that best epitomizes the east coast Beach Music sound, featured General Norman Johnson on lead vocals for the group between 1961 and 1967.

A couple of interesting things about both the group and its lead singer. Their only charted hit, It Will Stand, appeared twice on the Billboard charts, once in late 1961 and again in 1964. The song peaked at #61 and #80 respectively. The other interesting thing is General Johnson went on to become the lead singer for the Detroit group Chairmen Of The Board, which had several hits including Give Me Just A Little More Time, You've Got Me Dangling On A String, Pay To The Piper, and others.

If you're lucky, you may still have the good fortune to see the General in concert up and down the Carolinas where he continues to perform from time to time the much love Beach Music sound. This week the Treasure Island Oldies Blog gets you in the mood for the 50 Plus Special on the show next week with The Showmen and their hit It Will Stand. Enjoy this classic!
Michael

Monday, March 09, 2009

Isley Brothers - Voice Your Choice

The Isley Brothers originated in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to New York in 1957. They started out as a trio with O'Kelly, Ronald and Rudolph, then added their younger brothers Ernie and Marvin, as well as brother-in-law Chris Jasper in 1969.

They charted an impressive 49 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1959 and 2001, with four Top Tens, three Gold and one Platinum record.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice presents The Isley Brothers with This Old Heart Of Mine and It's Your Thing. Click Voice Your Choice and cast your vote for the song you prefer. We'll play the winning tune in the 3rd hour of the show.

The Critters - Song of the Week

The Critters, from Plainfield, New Jersey, only had four charted hits during the two-year period of 1966/67. One of their most loved and successful songs was Mr. Dieingly Sad. This week Treasure Island Oldies features The Critters in a rarely seen clip from the classic afternoon TV show, Where The Action Is, performing Mr. Dieingly Sad, our Song of the Week.
Enjoy!
Michael

Monday, March 02, 2009

Del Shannon - Voice Your Choice

Del Shannon was born Charles Westover on December 30, 1934 in Coopersville, Michigan. Not only was he a talented hit maker as a recording artist, he was also a very good songwriter. One of his big hits that he wrote was I Go To Pieces, recorded by Peter & Gordon.

In the short time span between 1961 and 1966, Del appeared on the Billboard charts sixteen times and had three Top Ten hits including the Number One and Gold Record, Runaway.

This week on Treasure Island Oldies, Voice Your Choice spotlights Del Shannon with two of his big hits: Little Town Flirt and Hats Off To Larry. Cast your vote for the song you'd like to hear. Click Voice Your Choice and make your selection. We'll play the winner in Hour 3 of next week's show.

Swinging Blue Jeans - Song of the Week

The Swinging Blue Jeans were one of the many British Invasion groups that gained popularity on this side of the pond in North America. I am pleased to have dug up this rare clip of them performing at what then was one of the biggest musical events of the year in Britain, the annual New Musical Express Poll Winners Concert. Enjoy them at the height of their popularity in 1964 with their live performance of Shake, Rattle And Roll and Good Golly Miss Molly.
Enjoy!
Michael