Sunday, December 18, 2011

15th Annual Christmas Radio Show Special Today

Join me today, Sunday, December 18th for the Treasure Island Oldies radio show 15th Annual Christmas Special. The four hours begins at 6 pm pacific time, with the greatest Christmas music of all time. And if you can't listen to the Live show, the Archive will be available all throughout the Christmas Holidays.

Join me!

Michael

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Brian Wilson To Re-unite With The Beach Boys For New Album And Tour


There are some good vibrations in the classic-rock world: Brian Wilson is finally reuniting with the remaining Beach Boys, it was announced Friday morning, December 15th.

After months of negotiations, Wilson rejoins two other founding members, Mike Love and Al Jardine, as well as Bruce Johnston and David Marks. Together, they will release a new album and stage an international tour in celebration of the band's 50th anniversary.


The stage-wary Wilson last toured with the group in 1965, though they continued to record together through the release of their landmark album "Pet Sounds" in 1966, and sessions for the aborted, experimental "Smile" album, meant to compete with the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."

The album was partially finished in 1967; its failure to be completed, and Love and Jardine's displeasure with the direction of the band, is widely regarded as the flash point for Wilson's descent into depression and drug use. It was officially released earlier this year -- though Wilson released his own version in 2004.

Relations between Wilson and band co-founders Love and Jardine have been contentious ever since. Wilson's two brothers, also founding members of the group, have both died: Dennis in 1983 from drowning and Carl in 1998 from cancer. Love is Wilson's cousin.

“This anniversary is special to me because I miss the boys and it will be a thrill for me to make a new record and be on stage with them again," Wilson said in a statement.

Wilson has performed Beach Boys material over the years as part of his solo sets, and Love, Jardine and Johnston have continued touring without Wilson as the Beach Boys.

The Beach Boys' 50-date tour kicks off in April with a headlining stint at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Other dates and locations have yet to be announced.

The group has already recorded multiple songs for its new album, which is yet-untitled.

Singer Mike Love -- who has been with the band since it formed in 1961 -- said the group recently re-recorded one of its hits, "Do It Again," at Capitol Records' headquarters in Hollywood.

"Brian paid me a compliment saying, ‘How can a guy sound that great so many years later?’ " he said in a statement. "Later on, while working out some harmonies on a new song Brian had written, I got a chance to return the compliment."

Capitol/EMI plans to reissue catalog material in addition to the new album.

“It's no exaggeration to say that the Beach Boys are one of the greatest and most loved bands that the world has ever produced, and true American icons," EMI Group CEO Roger Faxon said of the group, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 1988.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Treasure Island Oldies with Michael Godin 2011 Christmas Greeting

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies


December 11th, 2011 to December 17th, 2011


It was such a pleasure to play all that great Christmas music on this week's radio show. I hope you enjoyed your trip down memory lane when I played the B sides of some all-time-favourites. Judging from the response from the Chat Room, your eyes must have lit up when you heard Papa Noel by Brenda Lee (the B side of Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree), the great flip of Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms, Captain Santa Claus (And His Reindeer Space Patrol) and  also Gene Autry's If It Doesn't Snow On Christmas, the B side of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. So many of us had those records on either 78 rpm or 45 rpm records when we were kids, and we listened to both sides of those records. And thanks for your requests for this week's show. It was a pleasure to play them for you.

Don't forget to get your Christmas Greeting into me in time for playing it back on the 15th Annual Christmas Special, Live next Sunday, December 18th. Call the 24/7 Treasure Island Oldies Listener Line at 206-339-0709 to record your greeting. I hope to hear from you.

And be sure to set aside four hours either next Sunday, December 18th at 6 pm Pacific time or throughout the Christmas holidays on the Archive at the Listen page for our 15th Annual Christmas Special. It is my most favourite show of the year and it is my annual Christmas gift to you.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing the R&B Classic by The Drifters featuring the lead vocal by Clyde McPhatter and the bass voice of Bill Pinkney. White Christmas, from 1954, is our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

Voice Your Choice returns on our first show of 2012 on January 8th. Please check back right after Christmas for the artist and songs awaiting your votes.

Just a quick reminder to you that If you've got a birthday coming up, send the details to me at birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll wish you Happy Birthday on the show and play our official birthday song for you by The Beatles, Birthday.

I really look forward to your company next week for our 15rth Annual Christmas Special. See you then.

Have a good week.
Michael

The Drifters Song Of The Week

As we get closer to Christmas on December 25th, here is a real Christmas Classic from the great R&B group The Drifters, featuring Clyde McPhatter and the great bass voice of Bill Pinkney.

Here they are on their Number 2 hit from 1954, White Christmas.

Enjoy!

Michael

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Folk Singer Bob Burnett of The Highwaymen has Died

Bob Burnett, second tenor with the Highwaymen, died Wednesday (December 7) of brain cancer at his home in East Providence, Rhode Island. He was 71. Bob started the Highwaymen with Dave Fisher, Steve Trott, Chan Daniels and Steve Butts

Originally calling themselves the Clansmen, they eventually changed their name due to its unsavory connotations. The new moniker came from the Alfred Noyes poem of that name. After honing their act for two years on campus, the quintet travelled to New York, where they quickly picked up a manager, producer and recording contract. 

Their first single on United Artists Records was "Santiano," centering on the California Gold Rush, with the classic folk tune, "Michael (Row The Boat Ashore)" on the B-side. Released during the height of the "folk boom" in January of 1961, it should have sailed to the top of the charts. It did, but not without a struggle. It wasn't until a Worchester, Massachusetts DJ turned the record over that summer that "Michael" reached #1 for two weeks. By then UA no longer had the group under contract and had to pay to get them back. 

"Michael" was followed early the next year by the double-sided hit, "Cotton Fields" (#13) and "The Gypsy Rover" (#42). The group steadfastly refused to leave school, performing only on weekends, which slowed their success. 

"I'm On My Way" only reached #90 in 1962 and "The Bird Man" finished their chart run at #64 that year. Bob left the group to the Army Reserve, then moved on to Harvard Law School in 1967. Putting music behind, he had a long career in law and banking. A lawsuit filed by the original Highwaymen against the later Johnny Cash-Willie Nelson-Waylon Jennings-Kris Kristofferson incarnation was settled amicably when Dave's group opened a concert for the others and then granted them limited use of the name.

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Singer Dobie Gray Has Died

Singer Dobie Gray, who had an enormous hit with 1973's "Drift Away," has died at age 71.
Gray's personal website confirms the news. No cause of death was listed.

 According to Gray's site, he was born into a sharecropping family in Texas in 1940 and grew up surrounded by music. He later moved to Los Angeles and for a time worked with Sonny Bono, then A&R manager for Specialty Records. He also worked as an actor.

Gray's other songs included "Look at Me," "The 'In' Crowd," and "Loving Arms," but nothing hit as big as the wonderfully wistful "Drift Away," which sold over a million copies. It was actually first recorded by little-known John Henry Kurtz, but it was Gray's version that is most remembered. It's often played as a last song at concerts.

The song is almost best known not by its title, but by the repeated lyric, "Gimme the Beat, Boys," often misheard as "Gimme the Beach Boys." Gray's website even features a "Nancy" comic strip in which Sluggo sings the "Beach Boys" version of the lyric, then argues with Nancy about the actual words.

"Drift Away" has been covered by everyone from Elvis Presley to Ray Charles. The Rolling Stones reportedly recorded it, but never released their version, and rumors that the Beatles recorded the tune are false (they had already broken up by the time Gray recorded it). In 2003, Gray himself sang the final verse on Uncle Kracker's version of the song, which spent a record-setting 28 weeks atop the U.S. adult contemporary chart.

Monday, December 05, 2011

This Week on Treasure Island Oldies

December 4th, 2011 to December 10th, 2011
 
It's great to be in the think of the Christmas Music season. I love playing all the great Christmas classics from the '50s, '60s, and '70s, as well as some great Christmas lost treasures. Next week on the show, it will be all Christmas music, followed by our 15th Annual Treasure Island Oldies Christmas Special on Sunday, December 18th for the Live show, and available throughout the remainder of the holidays on the Archive at the Listen page.

Just a reminder to either send in your email with your Christmas dedication. Just send your noted to christmas@treasureislandoldies.com. Of course, you can also call our 24/7 Listener Line at 206-339-0709 and record your greeting. I look forward to hearing from you in whatever way you prefer.

If you're looking for last minute Christmas gift ideas, consider stopping by the Treasure Island Oldies Shop The Island Store. There are all kinds of Treasure Island Oldies items, including both T and Sweat Shirts, Clock, Coffee mugs, and much more. Happy shopping! 

I'd like to take a moment to say a big thank you to Fay Greenwood and Matt Meaney for the terrific Hits From Across The Pond weekly feature they have been researching, writing and producing every week since 2009. It's been great to hear the story and the songs for many British hits that we never got to hear in Canada and the United States. Judging from the listener response, they too have enjoyed the feature immensely. After a break for a period of time, I would like to replay this series. Thanks again Fay and Matt. We'll miss the feature but enjoyed it while we had it on the show.

The Treasure Island Oldies Blog is playing Paul McCartney with Wonderful Christmastime, a song that has become quite a classic Christmas Holiday classic. It's our Song of the Week. Enjoy!

Voice Your Choice presents Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans from producer Phil Spector's stable of artists. The two songs waiting for your votes are Here Comes Santa Claus and The Bells Of St. Mary's. Which song would you like to hear? Cast your vote at the VoiceYour Choice page and we'll play the winning song ion the 3rd hour of next week's show.

If you've got a birthday coming up, send the details to me at birthdays@treasureislandoldies.com. I'll wish you Happy Birthday on the show and play our official birthday song for you by The Beatles, Birthday

Show your support for Treasure Island Oldies with your own Email Signature. A selection of complimentary signatures to be placed at the end of your outgoing emails is available for download. Click Goodies on the upper Menu on any page on the website. Thanks to the many folks that have downloaded their own copy of the Email Signature. That's great!

As the Holiday Season is now here, I'm going to keep the next few weekly updates a bit shorter. I have less time to write and you, my friend, have less time to read!! I hope you have a great week and see you next Sunday for the live show.

Bye for now.

Michael

Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans - Voice Your Choice

From the classic, and some may say, the finest Rock & Roll Christmas album ever recorded, A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector, we present Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans.

Bob B. Soxx was actually Bobby Sheen, and yet on some of their recordings, it was Darlene Love who sang thr lead vocals.

That is not the case this week as Treasure Island Oldies is pleased to present Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans, with lead vocals by Bob, on Voice Your Choice.

The two songs are Here Comes Santa Claus and The Bells Of St. Mary's. Which song would you like to hear? Cast your vote at the Voice Your Choice page and we'll play the winner in the 3rd hour of next week's show.

Paul McCartney - Song of the Week

As we progress closer and closer to Christmas, here is a song that has become a standard every year since its initial release in 1979.

Here is Paul McCartney with Wonderful Christmastime, our Song of the Week.

Enjoy!

Michael